“The minimum we can do today for Ukrainians is to support their sovereignty and to continue offering them perspectives of Economic integration,” said Barroso in a statement.
“European Union is to show them that there is European perspective in their future,” he added.
Crimea is now the center of Ukraine’s ongoing crisis after some 50 armed men carrying Russian navy flags last Friday took control of the two airports in the regional capital of Simferopol, one day after gunmen seized the local parliament and government buildings.
An extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council will be held on Monday to discuss the EU’s response to these developments.
The Ukrainian political crisis, which originated from public anger over President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision in November to put on hold an association agreement with the European Union in order to get Russian aid, took an abrupt turn in the past two weeks as a result of bloody clashes between protestors and police. Yanukovych was ousted by parliament and fled to Russia.
03.03.2014
SOURCE: XINHUA