Danish minister calls on EU to impose sanctions against Russia over Azov Sea

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen has called on the European Union to impose sanctions against Russia over a stand-off with Ukraine in the Sea of Azov.

Reuters reported this with reference to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

"I believe the EU needs to react to Russia’s aggressive behavior," Samuelsen said.

The Danish minister will meet Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on Tuesday and Wednesday and visit the city of Mariupol by the Sea of Azov.

European foreign ministers will meet on Thursday this week to discuss Ukraine and other issues.

The EU will issue a demarche - a formal diplomatic protest note - to Moscow as early as this week over Russia’s continued detention of 24 Ukrainian sailors captured during the incident in November.