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EU Foreign Affairs Representative Borrell: "The Russian government is taking a worrying authoritarian path"
Photo: POOL / REUTERS
After criticizing his trip to Moscow, EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell wants to initiate further sanctions against Russia for the member states.
The EU states have to "decide on the next steps," he said in the European Parliament.
This could include sanctions.
He will use his right of initiative as an external representative in order to submit "concrete proposals".
In a speech to the European Parliament in Brussels, the Spaniard also sharply criticized Russia.
"Political dialogue with Russia has stalled," Borrell said.
"The Russian government is taking a worrying authoritarian path." Russia is currently showing no interest in restarting relations with the European Union.
The government sees a liberal democracy rather as an existential threat.
Borrell had come under pressure because, according to numerous MEPs, he had not complained clearly enough about the expulsion of three EU diplomats during his visit to Moscow.
A total of 81 members of the European Parliament had therefore written to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling for Borrell to resign.
Borrell went to Moscow late last week.
During his visit, the Russian government expelled three diplomats from Germany, Sweden and Poland for taking part in protests for the Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny, who was sentenced to several years in prison.
Navalny confidants apparently involved in deliberations on sanctions
Supporters Navalny meanwhile also called for EU sanctions against oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin.
As reported by the AFP news agency, Navalny's employees Leonid Volkov and Vladimir Ashurkov advertised on Monday in a video channel with EU representatives for a “package of personal sanctions” against the “closest circle” of Putin supporters.
The Polish delegation to the EU confirmed a video conference call with Volkov and Ashurkov.
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Sakharova, condemned the talks.
"From a moral and ethical point of view," Volkov and Ashurkov had committed "treason," she said on Tuesday on Vesti FM.
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fek / dpa / AFP / Reuters