21st Century Wire says…
Washington and London hoped that last week’s violent Attacks in Paris might pull EU sanction-rebels back into Washington’s anti-Russia political cult, but it looks like the effect was only short-term.
What was the reason for sanctions against Russia in the first place. According to President Obama and Britain’s David Cameron, it was because of “Russia’s continued aggression in the Ukraine”. The only problem with that is that Russia never invaded the Ukraine, nor did it ‘invade’ Crimea.
The anti-Russian coalition in Europe is starting to tear at the seams…
This week, Russia’s Foreign Minister hit back hard against Washington’s political cartel. “There are no prospects for isolating Russia in this or that way,” Sergei Lavrov said during his meeting with Latvia’s Edgars Rinkevics in Moscow. He added, “We have partners,” meaning: Russia is not alone on the world stage.
With Latvia set to assume the rotating EU Presidency, Russia is expecting an opportunity for a genuine dialogue to resume between Moscow and Brussels. Egged-on last year by Washington and Europe’s anti-Russian conclave, Latvia blacklisted a number of celebrity Russians, including artists, singers and culture activists. It signaled a return to the dark ages of cold war power-politics, only this time it’s Europe doing the banning and censorship.
The other trend that will be difficult for Washington-London Axis powers to overcome: economics. Washington-led, baseless sanctions against Russia ended up killing a large chunk of the EU economy, as Russia reciprocated in-kind to EU sanctions, by banning many EU imports into Russia. It turned out to be an own goal by Brussels, hurting Germany, Poland and Spain particularly badly, as well as other countries.
The EU are running out of moves…
BRUSSELS – Seven EU countries support the lifting of Western sanctions on Russia, a diplomatic source in Brussels told TASS on Thursday.
“The sanctions’ lifting has been supported by Austria, Hungary, Italy, Cyprus, Slovakia, France and the Czech Republic,” he said.
A European diplomatic source close to the EU Council told TASS previously that foreign ministers of 28 EU member countries would not make any decisions on sanctions against Russia at their first meeting this year in Brussels on January 19. “Russia, of course, will be on the agenda of the Council (EU Council on Foreign Relations), but the specific issue of the sanctions – whether they should be cancelled, softened, renewed or not – will not be raised. The decision on sanctions should be taken in March,” he said.
According to another source, although no concrete decisions on sanctions are expected at the upcoming ministerial meeting, “the tone of this issue discussion should be softened.” “Ministers will most likely be preparing the ground for softening the sanctions regime. Perhaps the time has come,” said the diplomat.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported with reference to a document prepared by the EU foreign policy service that became available to WSJ reporters that the European Union was ready to soften the anti-Russian sanctions and for partial normalisation of relations with Russia if Moscow changes its stance on the situation in Ukraine. The newspaper says this document should be considered by the participants in the meeting of the EU foreign ministers in Brussels on January 19. The document will be presented in the next few days to the EU member states’ foreign ministers.
READ MORE RUSSIA NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Russia Files
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