Rada asks other states' parliaments, EP to extend and toughen anti-Russian sanctions

Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada has asked the parliaments of other states, the European Parliament, and international parliamentary assemblies to extend and toughen anti-Russian sanctions for sponsoring terrorism in Ukraine.

Respective bill No. 3625 was supported by 239 lawmakers.

The bill was initiated by MPs Iryna Friz, Iryna Gerashchenko, Mariya Ionova, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze (all are from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc) and independent lawmakers Hanna Hopko and Pavlo Kyshkar.

"Russia continues to grossly violate the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, evolving into a terrorist state," the Verkhovna Rada said in its statement.

"The number is increasing of apprehended terrorists, Russian and Ukrainian nationals, who were trained in specialized centers to carry out terrorist attacks," it says.

Also, the Verkhovna Rada called on the international community to demand that Russia fully and unconditionally implement the Minsk agreements.