Putin and friends hit by new EU sanctions

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is being increasingly isolated on three fronts in the latest political developments over the downing of MH17.

Leaders on the line.

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is being increasingly isolated on three fronts — financially, militarily and morally — in the latest political developments over the downing of MH17.

The European Union last night agreed to impose asset freezes and travel bans against four close business associates of Mr Putin as well as four firms, EU sources said.

The sanctions target “persons and entities supporting or benefitting from (the actions of) Russian decision-makers” in Ukraine, an EU official said earlier.

The names are expected to be published today in the European Union’s Official Journal.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the 28 member state ambassadors to the EU, who were expected later to approve much wider economic sanctions against Moscow.

These tougher “Phase 3’’ measures, as opposed to so-called “Phase 2’’ asset freezes and travel bans, are meant to limit Russian access to European financial markets and so put its struggling economy under even more pressure.

Additionally, the EU plans to ban future arms sales to Russia, restrict the export of goods with both defence and civilian applications, and clamp down on technology transfers, especially in the energy sector.

On Saturday, the EU ambassadors imposed Phase 2 sanctions on 15 individuals and 18 entities, including Russia’s intelligence chiefs.

This brought the Phase 2 sanctions list to 87 people and 20 entities, with the EU spurred into action by the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, blamed on pro-Moscow rebels using a Russian-made missile.

Previously, the EU has hit members of Mr Putin’s political inner circle, including Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, but last night’s move is the first time they have targeted business figures close to the president.

Earlier, an urgent video conference call between US President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy has hardened the international response to Mr Putin’s continuing support of the Russian-led rebel separatists in east Ukraine.

In a return to Cold War tensions, Britain has ramped up its “sustained and substantial support to NATO’s eastern border” by agreeing to deploy its biggest force in a decade — 1350 troops and armoured vehicles — for NATO exercises in Poland in October.

British Defence Secretary ­Michael Fallon said there could be “further enhancements’’ at next month’s NATO summit directly referencing “our response to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and its destabilisation of eastern Ukraine’’.

Russia’s support and supply of arms to the separatists has continued despite international condemnation of the downing of the plane.

The UN has warned the act could be classified a war crime and perpetrators would be pursued in the international court of justice.

Mr Obama is also losing ­patience, sending a formal letter of complaint to Mr Putin about new ground-launched missile tests.