As the US prepares its sanctions on Russia, following the country’s military presence in Ukraine’s Crimea region, official documents leaked from UK parliament reveal that the UK has no plans to impose economic pressure.
The secret Downing Street documents appear to show that the UK does not intend to support trade sanctions against Russia.
"The UK should not support, for now, trade sanctions or close London's financial center to Russians," read the documents.
Despite Downing’s Street’s tough language recently, the UK appears to be unprepared to damage British interests, in a nod to Russian business that helps the British economy.
The secret documents also say that alternative gas supplies should be arranged for Ukraine just in case “Russia cuts them off”.
They were pictured by freelance photographer Steve Black, who took the photo as an official was walking into Downing Street for a national Security Council meeting called by David Cameron to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.
The UK should, “discourage any discussion (e.g. at NATO) of contingency military preparations,” according to the documents, which also states that the UK should “accept an emergency summit of EU leaders to discuss Ukraine”.
A technical assistance package should be put together, ideally jointly with Germany; OSCE or UN monitors, but not EU monitors should be in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea; and the UN Secretary-General Ban should take the lead in calling and creating a forum for engaging Russia, were policies also outlined in the document.
Conversely, U.S President Barack Obama said in a statement on Monday that the U.S is ‘preparing’ for sanctions on Russia, following Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to remove its military from Ukraine’s Autonomous Crimean region.
State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said: “At this point we're not just considering sanctions, given the actions Russia is taking,” she said. “It is likely that we will put those in place, and we are preparing that right now. So we have a broad range of options available. We are far more forward on this than we were even yesterday.”
U.S. President Barack Obama said from the Whıte House on Monday evening: “What cannot be done is for Russia with impunity to put its soldiers on the ground and violate basic principles that are recognized around the world.”
“I think the strong condemnation that it's received from countries around the world indicates the degree to which Russia's on the wrong side of the history on this,” he added.
The Russian Interfax news agency reported earlier on Monday that the Russian military has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea until 0300 GMT to surrender or face attack, citing a Ukrainian defense official.
Russia has denied the report; the US State Department said it could not independently verify the report.
Obama did not specify what response the U.S. would take if Russia continues to follow its ‘current trajectory’.
However, Obama did note that both diplomatic and economic recourses are under review and such moves will be aimed at isolating Russia, and ramping up economic pressure.
“Over time this will be a costly proposition for Russia."
Russia has said that it is attempting to protect Russian nationals in Crimea by moving its forces into the region, which Obama said would be better accomplished through international monitoring.
He added that U.S Secretary of State John Kerry will offer Ukrainian officials specific economic aid packages during his meetings scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Kiev, in order to stabilize Ukraine’s economy.
Any threat to Ukraine’s military from Russia would be a 'dangerous escalation', according to the U.S. Department of State.
“These reports today of threats of force against Ukrainian military installations would, if true, in our view constitute a dangerous escalation of the situation, for which we would hold Russia directly responsible,” State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Monday.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will depart for Ukraine late Monday night where he is set to meet with leaders from the interim government and Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
Both the U.S. and the UK decided on Monday not to send an official delegation to the Paralympic Games in Sochi, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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