Head of EU diplomacy going to Russia despite protests
22:27
Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for International Policy and Security, will visit Moscow in February. The heads of diplomacy of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia expressed their opposition to these plans at today's meeting in Brussels.
Josep Borrell announced that it will be an opportunity to convey to Moscow the negative position of the European Union regarding what is happening in Russia.
“The arrest of Alexei Navalny and the dispersal of demonstrations of support for him were deemed completely unacceptable among ministers. Ministers condemned the mass detentions and police brutality. We appeal to Russia to release Mr. Navalny and the remaining detainees,” he added.
Asked by journalists if he planned to meet Navalny during his visit to Moscow, Borrell replied that he would be very happy to see him. He added, however, that it’s a visit to the Russian government.
Even before the ministerial meeting in Brussels, the new Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, spoke about the need for a tougher EU approach to Russia. “The European Union must send a clear and decisive signal that what is happening in Russia is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We have to use a sanctioning regime for human rights violations,” he said.
Lithuania, as well as Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, opposed the idea of Borrell's visit to Moscow. In the opinion of these countries, the visit of the head of EU diplomacy to Russia would be perceived in the Kremlin as an expression of the EU's weakness.
