While the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, had been diplomatic and kept a low profile in front of the media, alongside the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, on Friday 5 February, he was more firm on his blog on Sunday 7 February.
“I went to Moscow this week to test, through principled diplomacy, whether the Russian government was interested in addressing differences and reversing the negative trend in our relations. The reaction I received points visibly in a different direction. So, as the EU, we will have to reflect on the broader implications and chart a way forward”, he stressed on his blog, on returning from his visit, which he described as “very complicated”.
“An aggressively-staged press conference and the expulsion of three EU diplomats during my visit indicate that the Russian authorities did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU”, he explained.
In retaliation for the expulsion of their diplomats, Germany, Sweden and Poland decided to declare three diplomats posted, respectively, at the Russian embassies in Berlin and Stockholm and at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Poznan persona non grata on Monday 8 February.
“As the EU, we will have to draw the consequences (of the Russian attitude), reflect carefully on the direction we want to give to our relations with Russia and proceed in a united manner with determination”, insisted Mr Borrell, who acknowledged that this attitude was not totally unexpected, but regrettable “from a Russian strategic perspective”.
“As ever, it will be for Member States to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions. We also have another tool in this respect, thanks to the recently approved EU human rights sanctions regime”, warned the High Representative. The Foreign Affairs Council of the EU will discuss, on 22 February, Mr Borrell's trip to Russia and future relations between the EU and Russia. A strategic debate on the subject is also scheduled for the European Council on 25 and 26 March.
On Monday 8 February, at the initiative of Poland, the Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU, the ambassadors of the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU and Canada, and representatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service discussed, in a videoconference, EU-Russia relations, issues related to the lack of respect for human rights and the implementation of sanctions against the country, with associates of Alexei Navalny: Vladimir Ashurkov et Leonid Volkov.
And if his trip did not meet with the unanimous approval of the Member States and the European Parliament, and despite its results, Mr Borrell once again justified his visit. “We have to face challenges, including meeting others in their home turf, just when negative events are unfolding to allow us to better assess the situations we are confronting and the actions we should take. I prefer this to remaining reactive and waiting for things to happen”, he explained.
These explanations did not convince some MEPs, with whom he will discuss Russia this Tuesday. On Monday 8 February, at the time of our closure, 80 MEPs, on the initiative of Estonian EPP MEP Riho Terras, called on the High Representative to resign or, if he did not do so, asked the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to take action.
“We, the undersigned members of the European Parliament, are extremely concerned about the humiliating developments during the visit of VPC/HR Josep Borrell Fontelles to Moscow, which have greatly damaged the European Union’s reputation”, they stressed in a letter to Mrs von der Leyen and seen by EUROPE. According to them, “Mr Borrell’s misjudgement in proactively deciding to visit Moscow, and his failure to stand for the interests and values of the European Union during his visit, have caused severe damage to the reputation of the EU and to the dignity of the office of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy”.
See the letter: http://bit.ly/3p2m9Ny (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)