Brussels, 19/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 19 January, the EU foreign affairs ministers discussed the EU's relations with Russia and how the tools of the European Union “and the instruments we have, apart from sanctions, can be used in a more coordinated and more effective way”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on arriving at the Foreign Affairs Council.
Keeping on course. “We had four hours of lively debate on relation with Russia”, said Poland's foreign affairs minister, Grzegorz Schetyna, who added that the climate and tone were of agreement. According to a European source, all the delegations are said to have spoken. “We began a strategic debate. This does not mean a change in direction in our relations with Russia. We are united on this”, said Mogherini. “There will be a change if and when, I hope, the Minsk agreements are applied”, she added.
“We are not changing our approach. This is the most important thing”, said Poland's minister, stating that the European policy aimed at amending Russian policy, and not the other way around. “There is resolve to continue the policy as conducted up until now”, said the Belgian minister, Didier Reynders, underlining the pressure on Russia. He said that it was also important “to see how to build a medium to long-term relationship - should progress be recorded” with Moscow implementing the Minsk agreements and respecting the law.
While the ministers were expected to base their discussions on Mogherini's document - which proposes “selective and gradual” cooperation with Russia on international issues, trade relations and on certain sectoral areas (see EUROPE 11231) - “the conclusions and debate were completely different from the EEAS document”, the Polish minister stated.
During her press conference, Mogherini underlined the diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, a dialogue on the global challenges, and exploring more cooperation, on the technical level, on energy and on relationships between people. The EU also wants to work on a strategy for “correct and impartial” information, in response to Russian propaganda, said Mogherini. During the discussion, all the member states agreed to continue talks on issues that are not directly linked to Ukraine and that have never been broken off, such as those on the fight against terrorism, Islamic State (IS) and Iran, said a national source. The member states also underlined that the sanctions would be re-assessed in March, depending on implementation of the Minsk agreements, Mogherini added.
Differences of opinion. While Mogherini underlined the unity of the EU member states, when they arrived at the Foreign Affairs Council, the ministers showed very differing opinions. For Jean Asselborn from Luxembourg, the goal of the discussions was to send a “signal to Russia indicating that we are not there to destabilise Russia, either politically or economically”. He added that there could be a discussion on cooperation with the Eurasian Union.
This is not the time “to renounce any sanctions or send signals indicating that we are ready to do so”, said Denmark's minister, Martin Lidegaard. “But… we should explore the possibility of finding a political solution to this crisis”, he added. Austria's minister, Sebastian Kurz, believed that the EU needed a strategy to set relations with Russia on a solid long-term basis. “Our medium-term objective is to re-establish a stable relationship with Russia”, he said. “This is not about honing or being flexible on sanctions. It's about getting rid of pure reaction… I think it's wrong only to be reactive”, he said.
Conversely, the Lithuanian minister, Linas Linkevicius, showed his opposition to a strategy towards Russia. “I don't think there is a modus operandi that should be changed (…) or sanctions lifted. There is no reason or even pretext for this”, he said. “I don't think we should now think about how to re-engage, but Russia should think about how to re-engage in areas of common interest”, he added. (CG, JK, EL)