歐盟考慮實施進一步制裁

The European Union is readying further sanctions against Russia over its annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her nation's parliament Thursday the EU is prepared to move to "Level 3" measures, which would include economic sanctions, if the situation worsens.

The EU has already imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Russian officials deemed responsible for the incursion into Crimea.

On Wednesday, Moscow signed a treaty with local authorities making Crimea part of Russia. The majority-Russian region voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum Sunday that the U.S. and European Union have declared illegal.

Chancellor Merkel said the Group of Eight forum of leading economies is effectively suspended as long as the diplomatic standoff with Russia continues. Russia is part of the G8, along with Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

In a continuation of efforts to end the crisis, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow Thursday. On Friday, he will meet in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Turchynov and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.歐洲聯盟因俄羅斯吞併克里米亞半島而準備對俄羅斯採取新的制裁行動。

德國總理默克爾星期四對德國議會說，如果局勢惡化，歐盟準備採取包括經濟制裁的“第三級”措施。

歐盟已經對入侵克里米亞負有責任的俄羅斯官員實施了旅行禁令和凍結資產的制裁。

莫斯科星期三與地方當局簽訂條約，把克里米亞納入俄羅斯版圖。俄羅斯人佔多數的克里米亞星期日舉行了脫離烏克蘭而加入俄羅斯的公投。美國和歐盟稱這次公投是非法的。

德國總理默克爾說，只要與俄羅斯的外交僵局不解決，由世界主要經濟體組成的8國集團論壇就不會召開。俄羅斯是8國集團的成員國，其他國家包括英國、加拿大、法國、德國、意大利、日本和美國。

聯合國祕書長潘基文星期四將在莫斯科會見俄羅斯總統普京和外長拉夫羅夫，繼續努力解決這場危機。星期五，他將在基輔會晤烏克蘭臨時總統圖爾奇諾夫和總理亞採紐克。