Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of EU economic sanctions on the political situation in Russia.

Sanctions imposed by the EU in respect of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea are designed to deter further escalation of the crisis by imposing a cost to Russia for its negative actions, in the hope of reaching a sustainable solution. Economic sanctions on Russia are having an impact. Capital has flown out of Russia, banks are short of finance, and the Russian stock market and Rouble have fallen significantly. Russia’s behaviour has seen it isolated by the international community, including at the UN and by the G8.