Norbert Roettgen walks at the fraction level of the German lower house of parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany
Europe may need to impose tougher sanctions against Moscow following Russia's seizure of Ukrainian vessels, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko has warned of the "extremely serious" threat of a land invasion after Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships and took their crew prisoner at the weekend.
Norbert Roettgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union who chairs the German parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said Russia's behaviour was deeply worrying and that tougher sanctions were an option.
"So far there are no talks about tougher sanctions but I generally would not rule this out," Roettgen told Deutschlandfunk radio.
"In my view, such behaviour cannot remain without consequences and I don't think one should say that there won't be any further sanctions."
Merkel has stressed the need for dialogue while the European Union, Britain, France, Poland, Denmark, and Canada all condemned what they called Russian aggression.
A Ukrainian diplomat was seen entering the Russian foreign ministry on Monday, RIA news agency reported, hours after Moscow promised to summon a Ukrainian representative to discuss an incident in the Kerch Strait on Sunday.Russia seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat, which Moscow said had illegally entered Russia's territorial waters. Kiev said its vessels did nothing wrong and has accused Russia of military aggression. Video: Three Ukrainian ships seized by Russia are moored at Crimean port of Kerch
Russia summons Ukrainian diplomat over Kerch Strait incident
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree on Monday to introduce martial law for 60 days, a statement on his website said, though it needs parliamentary approval to come into force.The decision came a day after Russia fired at and captured three Ukrainian vessels, triggering a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries.Parliament was expected to debate the decree later on Monday though a televised session of a parliamentary committee unanimously supported it.Russia summons Ukrainian diplomat over Kerch Strait incidentUkrainian legislation on martial law allows for a slew of curbs, including restrictions on movement and peaceful assembly, curfews, and restricting the media, though Poroshenko's decree made no specific references to such restrictions.Eleven measures outlined in the decree provide for mobilizing reserve forces, organizing the air defence of important state facilities and taking urgent steps to bring in enhanced cyber security measures and ensure public order.There was no mention of a presidential election due to be held in March. Poroshenko's move has prompted speculation by critics and opposition politicians that he might use it to delay the vote.A twelfth provision of the decree was not published.Poroshenko, Stoltenberg convene emergency NATO-Ukraine Commission meetingEU's Tusk says Europe will stay united in support of Ukraine
Ukraine president decrees martial law, parliament has to approve
Russia has formally opened a civil case against Google and could fine it up to 700,000 roubles ($10,450) for failing to comply with a legal requirement to remove certain entries from its search results, the communications watchdog said on Monday.Roskomnadzor, the watchdog, said that Google had not joined a state registry that lists banned websites that Moscow believes contain illegal information and was therefore not compliant with the law. A final decision in the case against Google will be made in December, the watchdog said. ($1 = 66.9670 roubles)Russia says planning for new US nuclear missiles in EuropeFrance urges Russia to free Ukrainian sailors
Russia opens civil case against Google