Aurescu met with representatives of Navalny’s team, before the Brussels summit: There is a large majority for the adoption of sanctions against Russia – VIDEO – Essential

Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Monday, before the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, that last night he had a meeting with the representatives of Navalny’s team, in the context in which the EU would take a decision on the sanctions imposed. Russia. Aurescu specified that there is a “large majority” in the council for the adoption of sanctions.

“Last night, together with other counterpart ministers, we had a meeting with the representatives of Navalny’s team and we discussed the human rights situation in Russia, about the adoption of new human rights sanctions. We also discussed how the EU can better support Russia’s civil, democratic society. My view is that the EU needs to step up its support for civil society (…) Today, we will also discuss the EU-Russia relationship in the context of Josep Borrell’s recent visit to Moscow. This visit was a turning point for us. It is clear that the EU needs to re-evaluate its relationship with Russia. (…) This visit showed that, unfortunately, Russia is not open to a normal relationship with the EU. On the contrary, he has an increasingly assertive attitude “, the minister declared, at the arrival of the summit.

My statement today at the beginning of the uD83CuDDEAuD83CuDDFA Foreign Affairs Council / #DO meeting in Brussels / My statement at the beginning of today’s meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels / #FALLS OFF: https://t.co/k9unHswlR6

– Bogdan Aurescu (@BogdanAurescu) February 22, 2021

Aurescu said that discussions with his counterparts in the Member States show that there is a “large majority” in favor of imposing new sanctions on the Kremlin, the Romanian foreign minister added that, in the long term, EU countries need to be united and cooperate. better, including with strategic partners the US and the UK.

The minister also said that a strategic approach to relations with Russia is needed.

The discussion on EU relations with Russia takes place in the context of the visit of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to Moscow (5-6 February 2021) and in preparation for the European Council debates on 25-26 March 2021.