Klimkin urges European politicians not to attend World Cup matches in Russia

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has called on European politicians to refrain from attending World Cup matches in Russia this summer, according a statement posted by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Facebook. 

"I call on European politicians to declare a political boycott of the World Cup in Russia," Klimkin said in a comment to German online newspaper RP Online. "We must send a clear signal to the Kremlin that such brutal behavior cannot be tolerated. The Kremlin must feel it," he said.

As for a sport boycott, Klimkin believes that such a decision is in the hands of national football unions.

According to the minister, "in view of numerous crimes against humanity" the world community should respond adequately to Russian politics.

Klimkin stressed that current sanctions against Moscow had played an important role, "to put the Kremlin in its place."

"However, the Russian leadership has not stopped its aggressive policy and continues to violate international law, carrying out a real war against a democratic society, even on the alliance's territory - poisoning, hacking attacks, fake news ... It's time to react to these and other attacks by the Kremlin with new means," he said. 

op