On Friday 28 January the spokesperson for the European External Action Service criticised the decision by the Russian authorities earlier in the day to ban representatives of EU Member States and institutions from entering Russia.
“This decision lacks any legal justification and transparency and will be responded to appropriately”, the spokesperson warned. He felt that with this decision, Moscow was continuing to fuel a climate of tension in Europe, rather than contributing to appeasement.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry denounced the EU’s “illegal, destructive and senseless” policy “of unilateral restrictions” on Russia, adding that “discriminatory decisions” are “regularly” taken in Brussels, “which arbitrarily restrict the rights of [our] Russian compatriots and organisations”.
While the EU condemns Russian actions in Crimea, “European structures in Brussels are not at all embarrassed to systematically and aggressively ‘implement’ the norms of European legislation everywhere”, the ministry criticised, citing association agreements with third countries, the alignment of EU candidate countries with EU foreign policy or the supremacy of European law over national law.
Without naming those subject to the entry ban, the ministry said the measures primarily affected the heads of various European private military companies operating in various parts of the world, “who for some reason do not give rise to allergic reactions among European officials in Brussels”, by which it is implied that the Wagner company does.
Law enforcement officials and legislative and executive authorities from a number of EU Member States, “who are personally responsible for promoting anti-Russian policies and ‘imposing’ measures that undermine the legitimate rights of Russian-speaking residents and media”, are also banned from entering Russia.
The Ministry informed the EU Delegation in Russia of this decision by note, in accordance with the established procedure. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)