The ECR Group in the Committee of the Regions noted the need for EU wide sanctions against Ukraine, in the run-up to the 20 February Council meeting. The ECR Group also underlined that sanctions must be coupled with renewed dialogue at all levels of governance.

Committee of the Regions ECR Group Vice-President, Daiva Matoniene, visited Ukraine on 22-23 January 2014 as part of a Committee of the Regions fact finding mission. She noted that " in January, following my visit to Ukraine, it was already clear then that there were breaches of human rights and that the rule of law was not being fully upheld. The situation seems to be getting worse. We cannot risk this instability spilling over into our regions."

The Committee of the Regions also adopted a Resolution on 21 January condemning all violations of human rights and breaches of the rule of law.

Adam Banaszak, ECR Group Representative on the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership, noted that "we must not stand by while our neighbourhood sinks into turmoil. Over 26 lives have been lost since Tuesday. The violence must end and we must do our part as the EU to help facilitate this. A clear step we must now take is EU wide sanctions. As local and regional authorities, we remain at the disposal of our counterparts in Ukraine to facilitate a peaceful solution to be found."