Spring European Council 20–21.03.2014

My best pictures from the Spring European Council, held on the 20th and 21st march 2014 in Brussels, Belgium. The 28 heads of state or government decided to further extend existing sanctions on Russian Officials, in response to the situation in Crimea.

12 new “really high” names on EU sanctions list

José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission (left), and Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, speaking at a press conference following the first day of the European Council in Brussels, Belgium

The EU is expanding, but not intensifying its sanctions against Russia. The European Council has adopted conclusions, which further expand stage two sanctions, but without passing to stage three, EU official have said. The list of people targeted by stage two measures is to be expanded by 12 names, bringing it to a total of 33, “some of them really high ranking”, says the President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, at a news conference following the first day of the EU Council.

EU Gipfel diskutiert Russland-Sanktionen beim Abendessen

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking ahead of the European Council in Brussels, Belgium, hands back a microphone that has fallen down.

Als Angela Merkel an jener Absperrung, hinter welcher die Versammelten Reporter und Journalisten um das eine oder andere Wort der EU Staats- und Regierungschefs, die zum Europäischen Rat anrauschen, hoffen, ankommt, fällt einer Reporterin glatt das Mikrophon aus der Hand. Unruhe und Verwunderung machen sich breit. Ein Attaché reagiert und bückt sich, doch die Kanzlerin ist schneller : Lächelnd hebt sie das Mikrophon auf – und bringt ihre Nachricht. Das Thema der Begierde : die Situation in der Ukraine.

Russia vetoes Security Council resolution on Ukraine

And Putin takes it all again — On Saturday, March 15, 2014, at the Security Council, a resolution, drafted by the US, and condemning the referendum in Crimea as « illegal, » has not been adopted, following a veto by the Russian Federation. Russia « has the power to veto a resolution, but it does not have the power to veto the… Poursuivre la lecture Russia vetoes Security Council resolution on Ukraine