Many within the parties of the Right in the European Parliament spoke out on Wednesday 5 October to call for further EU sanctions against the Russian Federation after the bombings of the Syrian city of Aleppo by the Russian air force.
A great many, including S&D Group leader Gianni Pittella, said that “crimes against humanity” were being committed in Aleppo. It was, however, the European People’s Party (EPP) that was strongest in its attacks on Russia during the debate in Strasbourg on Wednesday on the forthcoming formal meeting of heads of state and/or government of EU member states (20-21 October).
EPP leader Manfred Weber (Germany) called on the European Council to accept that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be considered a partner of the EU. Putin may have allies in Europe, such as MEPs Nigel Farage (EFDD, UK) or Marine Le Pen (ENF, France) but “real patriots” cannot support the Kremlin’s actions, he said. He urged the EU to re-assess all existing projects in which Russia is involved, mentioning, in particular, plans to double the capacity of the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
Weber also received the backing of conservatives and liberals. Syed Kamall (UK), the leader of the ECR Group, called for the EU to be tougher towards Russia and for its sanctions, which will expire at the end of January 2017, to be maintained. On behalf of the ALDE Group, Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium) called on the European Council to take fresh decisions in the face of the “Syrian tragedy” and not to limit itself to simply discussing the issue at its next meeting. He would like to see the imposition of more sanctions and a no-fly zone set up over Aleppo.
Voices from the European Left were much more restrained. Pittella called mainly for the immediate re-establishment of the ceasefire in Syria. The joint leader of the Social Democrats Knut Fleckenstein (Germany) highlighted the need first of all for a “strategic discussion” on relations with Russia. Gabriele Zimmer (Germany), speaking on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, said her great fear was of a new Cold War and the resumption of the arms race with Russia. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)