Russia-EU Relations Deteriorate

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution strongly condemning Russia’s continued interference, their ever more aggressive disinformation campaigns and the gross violations of international law that threaten security and stability in Europe, particularly through their aggression and continued destabilisation of Ukraine as demonstrated by the recent military build-up.  The resolution also calls for the immediate release…

Russia’s militant policy in the post-Soviet space

Russia's Militant Policy

The dominant role of Russia in the post-Soviet space is an illusion and a delusion. Moscow is no longer seen by its neighbours as a centre of political, military and economic integration. Over the past 30 years, the Kremlin has not provided a viable ideological basis for unification. Russia considers the post-Soviet countries to be…

EU Condemns Russian Terrorist Acts in Czech Republic

Russian Secret Service Operatives accused of terrorist act in Czech Republic

Today, the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs briefed the North Atlantic Council on activities by Russian operatives inside the Czech Republic, which resulted in the explosions in 2014 of ammunition storage depots at Vrbetice.  The explosion caused the deaths of two people who worked at the site as well as very substantial material damage. The…

Putin’s goals in the red-hot Donbass

Russia's military build up on the border with Ukraine

Today, trust between the West and Russia is at its lowest level in recent history. Experts compare the current confrontation with the Cuban missile crisis. However, now the rhetoric and threats from the top leadership of the opposing sides have reached such an intensity that the timidly discussed possibility of a war between Russia and…

EPP Calls for Military Support for Ukraine

EPP calls for EU support for Ukraine

The EPP Group has called for military assistance for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia. “Russia amassing more than 40,000 troops near the Ukrainian border is an escalation and a serious threat to European stability and security as well as to Ukrainian sovereignty”, said EPP Group Vice-Chairwoman Sandra Kalniete MEP ahead of today’s debate on…

Russia Rattles Sabres in Donbass

Russian Mortar with capability to fire tactical nuclear shells

The intensification of hostilities in the east of Ukraine, the transfer of additional heavy equipment and thousands of servicemen to the Rostov region by Russia have raised the spectre of the start of a major war in the Donbass again. Moscow is trying to show that it still retains a pseudo-dominant role in the post-Soviet…

Bleak Foreign Policy Outlook for Russia

Externally, the arrest of Ukrainian journalist Vladislav Esipenko in Crimea is not connected with the sensational statement of US President Joe Biden about Russian President Vladimir Putin. The events are separated by some time interval. But, there is actually a connection, as there is with the date of the seventh anniversary of the commemoration of…

Russian Authorities Arrest Demonstrators

The police detained all 193 participants of the first Municipal Russia Forum in Moscow. The Forum was organized by United Democrats, a project that supports competitive elections in Russia at the municipal level. The organizers aimed to create a platform where incumbent municipal deputies from over 50 Russian regions could exchange experiences in order to improve lives of citizens. Despite the ongoing…

Sanctions against Russia

The Council last week decided to extend the sanctions targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for a further six months until 15 September 2021. The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available to the listed persons and…

New EU Sanctions Against Russia

EU foreign ministers have agreed to sanction four Russian officials over the jailing of opposition leader Alexey Navalny, which is the first listings on the EU’s new Global Human Right’s Sanctions Regime. Heidi Hautala, Greens/EFA MEP and Vice-President of the Parliament Responsible for Human Rights, comments: “Today, the EU is sending a clear signal to those responsible…