EU leaders instruct Borrell to prepare options for sanctions against Russia
The European Council also stressed openness to a selective dialogue with the Russian side on issues of interest to the EU, the final statement on relations with Russia said
The final statement on relations with Russia, adopted on Friday following the first day of the EU summit, said the EU heads of state and government at the Brussels summit instructed the EU foreign policy service led by Josep Borrell to explore opportunities for dialogue with Russia on selected topics of interest to the EU as well as options for imposing new anti-Russian sanctions, including economic ones, to counter possible future activities by Russia that they regard as malignant, TASS reported.
“The EU has stressed the need for a firm and coordinated response to any future malicious activity by Russia. To this end, the European Council called on the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell to present possibilities for additional restrictive measures, including economic ones”, – the document said.
EU leaders could not agree on a German and French initiative to hold an EU-Russia summit, it is not mentioned in the final document.
“The European Council stressed openness to a selective dialogue with Russia on issues of interest to the EU. The Council instructed the European Commission and the High Representative to develop specific opportunities for this to be followed up with the Council on such topics as climate and environmental protection, health, selected foreign and security policy issues, including relations with Iran, Syria and Libya”, – the document said.
The document did not mention Borrell’s proposed principles for developing relations with Russia – “push back, restrain, engage”. EU leaders also announced that they expected the Russian leadership to “adopt a more constructive approach and make political commitments to cease action against member states as well as third countries”.
EU leaders instruct Borrell to prepare options for sanctions against Russia