Douglas Alexander MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, said:

“The reported incursion by Russian armed forces into eastern Ukraine is clearly a provocative step.

“The international community has repeatedly called on President Putin to change course and urged him to pursue a political resolution to this crisis. Yet he continues to inflame tensions in eastern Ukraine, instead of easing them.

“Last month, following the downing of Flight MH17, Labour called on the EU to impose a full EU-wide arms embargo against Russia to send a clear message that Europe will not accept business as usual while weapons and troops flow from Russia to Ukraine.

“As EU leaders meet again this weekend in Brussels, they must be prepared to consider what further coordinated economic and diplomatic measures – including possible tier three sanctions directed towards the Russian economy - can now be taken to ensure that Russia feels both the costs and consequences of its continued aggression towards Ukraine.
“The prospects of escalation remain very concerning, but continued Russian aggression must be met with a robust, coordinated and united international response aimed at altering the calculus of risk in President Putin’s decision making over Russian actions in Eastern Ukraine.”

Ends