Ukraine crisis: EU to slap fresh sanctions on Russia, says Merkel

Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the European Union will impose more sanctions on Russia following its decision to annex Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and will suspend all G8 meetings until the political situation changes. [caption id=“attachment_1122615” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Angela Merkel. AP image[/caption] Merkel told the country’s Parliament on Thursday, ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, that the bloc would expand a freeze of bank accounts and travel bans of people that have been linked to the crisis. She also said that the G-8 will not meet until the situation changes. Russian President Vladimir Putin was due to host leaders from the top industrial countries in Sochi in June. Earlier this week, the EU and the United States slapped sanctions on certain individuals that were involved in what they say was the unlawful referendum in Crimea over joining Russia. Germany also halted a Russian military contract for a German defence technology company, today. The Germany’s economy ministry said in a statement that it would suspend a planned defence contract with Russia for the German firm Rheinmetall, reported Xinhua.  AP