Putin Has Stuck Two Fingers Up to the West by Annexing Crimea, Says Sir Malcolm Rifkind

Sir Malcolm Rifkind

DAILY EXPRESS: VLADIMIR Putin has given the West “two fingers” by his annexing of Crimea and needs to be hit with punitive economic sanctions, former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has argued.

The Conservative grandee, who is chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, said Russia was now treating the West with contempt and warned the situation is “the most dangerous we have faced.”

Today Foreign Secretary William Hague announced in the Commons that the EU was was ready to pursue trade and economic sanctions against Russia.

Sanctions announced by the EU and US so far have just focused on the assets and travel movements of a handful of Russian and Ukrainian officials – but this goes much further.

Speaking exclusively to Express Online, Sir Malcolm – who served as Foreign Secretary from 1995 to 1997 – welcomed the move after earlier arguing that the international community had so far been “pathetic in its response.”

He said: “The measures that have been announced by both the US and the EU have been treated, understandably in my view, with contempt by Russia.

"What is needed is financial economic sanctions. » | Owen Bennett | Political Editor | Tuesday, March 18, 2014