EU summit
Sanctions against Russia not enough
Commenting on the outcome of the European Council of heads of state and government, Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms stated:
"This latest round of EU sanctions against Russia again falls short of what is needed in response to the crisis in Ukraine. Though it is right to impose sanctions on companies which contribute to the instability in Eastern Ukraine, this is not enough. Russia has so far ignored the limited sanctions and the EU must finally up the pressure on the Russian government to end its support of the separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. This implies changing its relationship with Russia. EU governments must also end their double-speak. As long as individual countries continue to train the Russian military, supply weapons to Russia or conclude comprehensive agreements for energy supplies, EU foreign policy towards Russia cannot succeed.
"We are disappointed that the EU heads of state and government have postponed the decision on the EU's top jobs. Instead of finding the best candidates to fill these posts from an EU perspective, they are squabbling over national and party interests. This has to stop. As the current Russia-Ukraine crisis underlines, we need an EU foreign policy high representative that has experience on the international stage and is immediately recognised as a strong European voice, but is also respected by the 28 national EU foreign ministers The candidates mentioned so far fail to convince on this front."
Rebecca Harms will be travelling in Ukraine from 18 to 21 July and will be visiting Eastern Ukraine on 19 and 20 July. Rebecca Harms plans to hold meetings with representatives of civil society, members of the government and pro-Russian activists in Kiev und Charkiv. She will also meet Ukrainian troops in Eastern Ukraine.
