The European Union is discussing a separate sanctions regime against Russia. The initiators of this new sanctions format were the Baltic States, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Finland, and Sweden. In their opinion, there are good reasons to introduce new sanctions against Russia similar to other sanctions formats against the ruling regimes of specific countries, such as Belarus, Iran, Venezuela, and the DPRK.
A new sanction regime against the Russian Federation is intended to provide a legal basis for punishing those responsible for the deterioration of the situation inside the country. “The criteria for inclusion in the sanctions list should include a deteriorating human rights situation, a politicized judicial system, and repression of civil society, including actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law,” the document says. The foreign ministries of the initiating countries are ready to make suggestions for compiling the lists.
For example, it is proposed to impose restrictive measures against representatives of “the repressive state apparatus of Russia, including those involved in politically motivated court decisions against representatives of civil society and the democratic opposition and their subsequent detention. Such as the responsible persons in the Russia judicial system (prosecutors, courts, penitentiary institutions).”
The proposition was submitted to the European Union’s foreign policy service on February 28. On April 10, speaking in the European Parliament, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that EU countries are discussing “a new sanctions format against Russia” and expressed hope that this format will be approved quickly. It is expected that the decision will be made before the European Parliament elections to be held on June 6-9.
Europe is well aware that it has to systematically counter Russia’s economic influence, so more significant sanctions are needed, and thus the European Parliament is on the right track.
