Brussels, 30/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On 30 January Russia responded strongly to the announced extension of European sanctions and preparation for further sanctions. It called on the EU to reflect on its policy (see EUROPE 11242).
“It is high time for the EU to ponder a sanctions standoff as being unpromising and only harmful to the people”, Russia's foreign minister stated in a press release. “Brussels' one-sided interpretation of the situation in the Ukrainian domestic conflict strips it of the very opportunity to act as 'an unbiased broker'”, he added, going on to say that “it is regretful that the European Council turned out once again to be hostage to an aggressive minority for which the Ukrainian crisis gives just a pretext for imposing Russophobic approaches and counteracting good partnership between Russia and the EU”.
Russia's ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, also expressed his disapproval. “By acting in such a narrow-minded way, the EU in essence is subjecting to additional tests our partnership - the partnership between Russia and the European Union - which is regrettable”, he said, as quoted by Russian news agency Tass. “Besides selective assessments of these or those events, sweeping criticism of Russia is the dominating element. As if Russia, and not the Kiev authorities with the connivance of the EU, had unfolded the bloodbath in eastern Ukraine”, Chizhov added. (CG)