Tuesday

19th Mar 2024

Merkel: EU strategy is to maintain Russia sanctions

  • Merkel: 'The measure for lifting sanctions will be territorial integrity' (Photo: The Council of the European Union)

Germany has warned the EU will not roll back Russia sanctions unless Vladimir Putin makes major concessions, in Europe’s first “strategic” talks on the crisis.

Chancellor Angela Merkel told press at an EU summit on Thursday (18 December) that each batch of sanctions was imposed for specific reasons and can be lifted only if the reasons are no longer there.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"We decided tonight that the measure for lifting sanctions will be [the] territorial integrity [of Ukraine],” she said.

The chancellor, who spoke to her Russian counterpart by phone on Wednesday, noted that he has made many promises.

But she said Russia continues to flout the so-called Minsk peace agreement and all she can do is “hope” that a recent ceasefire will hold.

“We want to see them [Putin’s promises] implemented”.

British leader David Cameron sent out a similar message, saying: “We should keep those sanctions in place until Russia changes its behaviour and stops the aggression in Ukraine”.

With the sanctions and low oil prices biting, he added the Russian economy is in a “serious” state, but "the door is always open to Russia if it changes its behaviour”.

French leader Francois Hollande was softer.

He said the time is not right for France to resume arms sales to Russia by delivering the first of two contracted warships.

But he noted there is “no need for new sanctions” and said “progress” on the ceasefire means there is a chance to “exit from the crisis”.

The EU in March blacklisted Russian officials over the annexation of Crimea and in July targeted Russian banks and energy firms over its covert war in east Ukraine. It added more Crimea restrictions on Thursday.

But the sanctions expire next year unless all 28 EU states agree to extend them.

Polish former prime minister Donald Tusk, who now chairs EU summits, had asked leaders to take stock of the crisis over dinner.

Merkel said the “strategic discussion” looked at “what we thought had been overcome in 1990 [the end of the Soviet Union] - that countries should determine their own future and not be pulled in spheres of influence”.

Tusk said: “I was really moved tonight because our discussion at the dinner showed the European Union is united as never before on this question”.

He said the EU can help Ukraine overcome its economic problems.

But he described Russia as a long-term “strategic challenge” that requires “practical and pragmatic” counter-measures, which are free of “ideology”.

Tusk briefed media alongside European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Italian PM Matteo Renzi, marking the end of the Italian EU presidency.

Russia hawks have criticised EU institutions and Italy for being too friendly to Russia over the past 10 months.

But both men used forceful words to describe Russia’s actions on the EU’s eastern borders.

Juncker said he “cannot condemn strongly enough” Russia’s “flagrant violations” of international norms.

Renzi acknowledged that Russian troops are in Ukraine, adding: “We must absolutely work with Russia to push Russia out of Ukraine and to come back to international tables for discussions”.

China ignores EU, offers to help Russia

China has joined India in helping the Russian economy, but closer to home Belarus and Kazakhstan are hedging their bets on future relations.

Borrell: 'Israel provoking famine', urges more aid access

70 percent of northern Gaza is facing famine, new data shows. There is one shower per 5,500 people, and 888 people per toilet. 'How can you live in these conditions?" asked Natalie Boucly of UNRWA at the European Humanitarian Forum.

Opinion

Potential legal avenues to prosecute Navalny's killers

The UN could launch an independent international investigation into Navalny's killing, akin to investigation I conducted on Jamal Khashoggi's assassination, or on Navalny's Novichok poisoning, in my role as special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, writes the secretary-general of Amnesty International.

Latest News

  1. Borrell: 'Israel provoking famine', urges more aid access
  2. Europol: Israel-Gaza galvanising Jihadist recruitment in Europe
  3. EU to agree Israeli-settler blacklist, Borrell says
  4. EU ministers keen to use Russian profits for Ukraine ammo
  5. Call to change EIB defence spending rules hits scepticism
  6. Potential legal avenues to prosecute Navalny's killers
  7. EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK
  8. The present and future dystopia of political micro-targeting ads

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us