Today, in response to a Federation Council recommendation, the Russian senate canceled a resolution which granted President Vladimir Putin the right to use military force in Ukraine. 

On Tuesday, President Putin formally requested of the Federation Council that the resolution for military force be canceled. The original resolution allowed the president to “use Russian military forces in Ukraine to improve the public and political situation in that country.” 

Members of the international community have acknowledged the cancelation as a gesture of good faith toward Ukraine, but some are concerned that the peace process is moving too slowly. German Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed Wednesday that the EU remains ready to escalate sanctions on Russia, should it become necessary. Previous sanctions have frozen Russian assets and imposed travel bans for high-ranking Russian officials; the next round could enforce penalties on whole sectors of Russia’s economy. 

The upper house of the Russian parliament canceled the resolution today as part of an ongoing series of steps intended to facilitate the peace process in Ukraine. The cancelation comes just days after Ukrainian President Poroshenko’s cease-fire was implemented.

Photo courtesy of World Economic Forum / flickr.com

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