All EU Member States Condemn Sanctions Imposed by Russia Calling Them Unfounded

All 27 Member States of the European Union condemned the decision of the Russian Federation to impose economic restrictions on eight European Union nationals, banning them from entering the country’s territory.

“This entry ban includes the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, Vice President of the European Commission Věra Jourová, as well as six EU Member States’ officials from Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia and Sweden. The European Union stands in solidarity with all of these individuals. Russia’s actions will not deter the European Union from continuing to stand up for human rights, democracy and international law, nor from holding those responsible for violations and abuses of human rights to account,” reads the official statement of the Council of the European Union.

As noted, Russia’s restrictions directly target the European Union and its Member States and are devoid of any legal justification.

“It [the decision] serves to underline that the Russian Federation has so far chosen the path of confrontation instead of seeking to reverse the negative trajectory of EU-Russia relations,” the statement summarises.

On 29 April, the European Parliament approved a resolution regarding Russian troops near Ukraine’s border. In particular, disconnecting Russia from the SWIFT system in case of a new aggression was underscored. The next day, the Russian Federation imposed sanctions on eight EU representatives, including European Parliament President David Sassoli.

Bohdan Marusyak