Ukraine's ambassador to the EU, Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, said that "Russia should face EU financial sanctions and lose the right to host the 2018 football World Cup because of its annexation of the Crimea region," according to REUTERS. Yelisieiev said that asset freezes and visa bans adopted by the EU so far in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine "did not go far enough." Yelisieiev said that Russia "had crossed a red line by annexing Crimea and making aggressive moves towards eastern Ukraine and the EU must impose the tough economic sanctions it has threatened." He also suggested the rest of the world take steps such as to "withdraw the right from the Russian Federation to host the World Cup ... for 2018." Yelisieiev: "In my view, it is feasible because Russia, as a member of [world football's governing body] FIFA, should respect certain values and certain obligations." Such a step would hurt the Russian leadership "because for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin this is a huge political ... and financial project" (REUTERS, 5/22).
