The Prime Minister called Chancellor Merkel earlier this afternoon to discuss the EU’s response to events in Ukraine ahead of tomorrow’s European Council.

They reiterated that Sunday’s referendum in Crimea and Russia’s subsequent actions to annex Crimea are both illegal and agreed that the EU should impose further consequences on Russia, building on the travel bans and asset freezes agreed by European foreign ministers on Monday. They also agreed that the EU should keep working with the US and other international partners to de-escalate the situation and to deter Russia from embarking on any more action that could further destabilise Ukraine.

They reaffirmed their support for the Ukrainian government and agreed that the international community should be doing all it can to provide economic assistance to the authorities in Kiev during this difficult time. The Prime Minister looks forward to the signing in Brussels on Friday of the political provisions of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. A strong and successful Ukraine is in all our interests and will show that efforts to undermine the country’s independence and stability will not succeed.