EU and Ukraine sign association accord “elements”

European and interim Ukrainian leaders Friday signed the “political elements of an association accord” in Brussels. It was designed as a counterweight to the Russian parliament’s unanimous ratification of the treaty for the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation. DEBKAfile: The Ukrainian-EU accord is not legally valid since it was signed by an Ukrainian provisional government. What Kiev needs most urgently is a major injection of cash to cover immediate needs to pay soldiers and feed the population. So far neither the Europeans nor the US has transferred desperately needed funds – even for the relocation of Ukrainian soldiers from newly annexed Crimea. Thursday, the EU foreign ministers added 12 Russian and Ukrainian names to the union's sanctions list without divulging their names.