The strength of the European Union’s bite has matched the

sound of its bark. On March 5, the Council of the European Union froze the

assets of 18 former high-level officials, including fugitive ex-President

Viktor Yanukovych.

“As agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council on March 3, the

Council adopted EU sanctions focused on the freezing and recovery of

misappropriated Ukrainian state funds,” reads

the Council of Europe statement. “Today’s decision targets 18 persons

identified as responsible for such misappropriation whose assets within the

European Union will be frozen. The sanctions also contain provisions

facilitating the recovery of the frozen funds, once certain conditions are met.”