EU ambassadors postpone decision to renew sanctions in Donbas

Ambassadors representing 28 EU member-states decided on Dec. 9 to delay a decision to extend by six months economic sanctions against Russia for its military aggression in Donbas, reported on Dec. 10 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). The sanctions, introduced in mid-2014 and which expire at the end of January, were proposed to have been approved without debate at the meeting. Yet an Italian ambassador insisted that the decision be shifted towards an EU summit to be held in Brussels on Dec. 17-18, the report said. Italy and several other southern European states have shown some reluctance to maintain the sanctions, which have “packed a powerful economic punch,” the report said.

Italy’s position on delaying the vote on extending sanctions was supported by Hungary and several other countries, reported on Dec. 9 the eurointegration.com.ua news site, citing anonymous EU sources. The same day, the polsieradio.pl news site reported that several countries – including Greece and Cyprus – voiced positions against extending the sanctions. The Dec. 9 decision comes after a Dec. 7 decision reached in Brussels by COREPER heads of missions to defer a decision to extend sanctions against Russia, as reported by RFE/RL. Italy asked for a debate at the EU summit in Brussels, the report said.

Zenon Zawada: Russia has made good use of the war in Syria, and the subsequent displaced persons crisis. The large flow of migrants and displaced persons from the Middle East has bolstered right-wing forces and provided the pretext for Russia’s allies in the EU to begin to lobby in favor of Russian interests.

Certainly, the failure of the Ukrainian leadership to pursue reforms and battle corruption is also giving the pretext for forces in the EU to find common ground with Russian interests and promote them. We consider the current situation to be the latest wave of Ukraine fatigue in the West. Nonetheless, we expect the sanctions to be renewed because the failure to do so would be surrender to Russian President Putin and would only embolden him to engage in further aggression against Ukraine.