Comment by Russian MFA on coming into force of the EU Foreign Affair Council decision to extend sanctions against Russia

Submitted on Mon, 02/16/2015 - 00:00

We were puzzled to see the EU Foreign Affairs Council decision of 9 February, which came into force on 16 February extending EU sanctions list to a number of Russian citizens and legal entities. Once again the European Union has not taken the trouble to conduct a critical and unbiased analysis of the true origins of escalation in South-Eastern Ukraine and has chosen to be led by the “party of war” in Kiev. We find it inconsistent and void of logic that every time hope appears of a solution to the internal crisis in Ukraine, the European Union rushes to bring in new anti-Russian restrictions.

Such decisions look particularly ridiculous in the light of the Minsk agreements of 12 February reached with participation of leaders of major EU Member States. It seems that Brussels and capitals of EU Member States either no longer control the sanctions flywheel, or indulge in wishful thinking and rush to persuade the public opinion of certain “greater softening” of Russia’s position as result of the EU sanctions. It is clear, though, that such decisions which will be followed by an appropriate response go against common sense and do not contribute to seizing the emerged opportunity of finding a solution to the intra-Ukrainian crisis.