The European Parliament adopted on Thursday 29 April, by 569 votes to 67 with 46 abstentions, a joint resolution of the Greens/EFA, Renew Europe, S&D, EPP and ECR Groups in which it strongly condemns Russia’s “hostile behaviour” in Europe. MEPs call for new measures against Moscow and a new strategy towards Russia (see EUROPE 12708/5).
The resolution looks at Russian movements on the Ukrainian border, the situation of opposition figure Alexei Navalny and tensions between the Czech Republic and Russia.
Strongly condemning activities aimed at destabilising and threatening EU Member States, MEPs call on the High Representative of the Union to take appropriate retaliatory measures, including targeted sanctions.
73 MEPs wrote to the High Representative on Wednesday 28 April urging him to propose to the EU Council that members of the Russian mission to the EU who are allegedly members of the GRU and SVR be declared persona non grata. The mission has 60 diplomats.
“Taking into account the general practices of Russian foreign services, it is reasonable to stipule that there are several intelligence agents working there in guise of diplomats”, MEPs justify. According to them, the identity of these agents is known to European intelligence services.
See the Parliament resolution: https://bit.ly/2Py0q4A and the MEPs’ letter: https://bit.ly/2QJBMyl (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)