West ramps up pressure on Russia over Ukraine moves

Russia's military intervention in Ukraine places it "on the wrong side of history", US president Barack Obama has said, as Washington, Nato and the European Union moved to punish the Kremlin for sending troops into Crimea.

Mr Obama said Moscow's moves in Ukraine constituted "a violation of international law", but Russia showed no sign of withdrawing forces that have taken control of Crimea without firing a shot, and were last night surrounding Ukrainian military bases across the Black Sea peninsula.

Nato will today hold its second emergency meeting on Ukraine in 48 hours. And the EU has given Russia until a Thursday meeting of member heads of state to pull back troops or face targeted sanctions. Taoiseach Enda Kenny will attend the special summit.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore has summoned the Russian ambassador to Ireland for talks today to discuss what he called the "worst crisis that Europe has faced since the end of the cold war".

Acting with impunity

Mr Obama said that “what cannot be done is for Russia with impunity to put its soldiers on the ground and violate basic principles that are recognised around the world”, warning that he was ready to take a “series of steps – economic, diplomatic – that will isolate Russia”.

US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington would work "in lockstep" with the EU to support cash-strapped Ukraine and punish Russia "whether that's sanctions, whether that's economic assistance, whether that's efforts to support the IMF, whether that's efforts to hold others accountable".

Rising tension and sharpening diplomatic confrontation took a heavy toll on Russia’s financial markets yesterday.

Moscow’s main stock exchange fell by 11.3 per cent, wiping nearly €44 billion from the value of Russian companies. Russia’s central bank spent €7 billion to support the rouble, which nonetheless hit a record low against the dollar.

Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the alliance would today discuss "developments in and around Ukraine [which] are seen to constitute a threat to neighbouring allied countries and having direct and serious implications for the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area".

Poland, which borders Ukraine, requested the meeting under article 4 of Nato's treaty, by which members "can request consultations whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity . . . is threatened," the alliance said.

Mr Rasmussen also asked Moscow to agree to an extraordinary meeting of the Nato-Russia Council tomorrow.

Mr Gilmore said targeted sanctions against Russia would be on the table at Thursday's emergency European Council meeting, as well as the possible "suspension of the talks on visa liberalisation and the suspension of the talks on the EU's agreement with Russia".

Plea for assistance

As US secretary of state John Kerry flew into Kiev last night, Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov called for "real help" from the West to loosen the Kremlin's tightening grip on Crimea.

“The situation in Crimea remains tense and Russia’s military presence is growing. I appeal to Russia’s leadership: stop the provocative actions . . . This is a crime and you will answer for it,” he said.

“From the world’s leading countries we are awaiting . . . real help.”

Moscow was unmoved however, insisting its military in Crimea was protecting ethnic Russians from violent ultra-nationalist supporters of Ukraine’s new authorities.

"We are talking about . . . protecting the most fundamental human right – the right to live and nothing more," said Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. "Illegal arms have not been relinquished, government buildings and the streets of Kiev have not been completely freed, radicals maintain control of cities," he added.