Ukraine crises: EU agrees to freeze European assets linked to Putin, Larvrov over Ukraine invasion

The European Union, EU, has reached an agreement and has decided to freeze European assets linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over their decision to invade Ukraine.

According to the EU officials, the measures were added Friday after being raised in overnight discussions by EU leaders on a new sanctions package that EU foreign ministers from the 27-nation block were to validate.

Speaking to media this afternoon, Ireland’s Foreign Affairs minister Simon Coveney said “it is the right thing to do” and that Ireland supports the move.

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An official who decided to keep his identity anonymous said most EU countries are in favour of the decision except Germany and Italy.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday the new EU sanctions package targeted “the highest officials” in Russia.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said as he arrived for the EU meetings in Brussels, that if Russia does not stop its invasion against Ukraine, more sanction are likely to be imposed.

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“This (latest packet of sanctions) isn’t enough. We need to choke the (Russian) system and in particular further target the oligarchs,” he said.