Cool down attempts to resume business as usual with Putin

“EU leaders were right to cool down attempts to resume business as usual with Vladimir Putin”, stressed Sandra Kalniete MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group responsible for Foreign Affairs, commenting on the outcome of the European Summit.

“Unlike the European Union, the USA does not have a direct border with Russia. President Biden can meet and then wait to see if what was agreed is being fulfilled. The EU has to first push back and deter the Kremlin’s aggressivity and only when Mr Putin proves that he can respect international law and the sovereignty of other states, can we resume talks at the highest level”, said Kalniete.

“Instead of pushing to have an EU Summit with Mr Putin, I propose having a look first at how many opposition candidates Putin will allow to run in the September elections”, added Andrius Kubilius MEP, the EP Spokesman on Russia. “The EU should engage with Russia’s people and support the path of democratic development. The EU should have the courage to take a strong stance towards the Kremlin to defend human rights, to end domestic repression and to return freedom to political prisoners and choice to the Russian people. The European Parliament will already debate this in July”, he concluded.