CRI听力:EU Slams New Sanctions on Russia over Ukraine

EU Slams New Sanctions on Russia over Ukraine 

The European Union has officially adopted new sanctions against Russia over the situation in Ukraine.

The new sanctions include restrictions on large Russian state-owned oil companies raising money on European financial markets.

Russia's gas sector is not affected by the latest sanctions.

EU Council President Herman van Rompuy says the measures are aimed at "promoting a change of course in Russia's actions in destabilizing eastern Ukraine".

The EU says the new measures will come into effect "in the next few days," and not this Tuesday as expected.

Russia has denied any direct involvement in Ukraine, and is warning it may restrict international flights through its airspace if the sanctions go ahead.

For an in-depth look at the EU-Russia row, we spoke earlier with Gao Fei, an international relations expert with China Foreign Affairs University.