'We don't want to isolate ourselves': Russia threatens to cut ties as EU mulls sanctions

Amidst reports of European Union (EU) mulling sanctions on Russia, country’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow was rey to completely cut ties with bloc. Despite a “hopeful” recent visit to Russian capital by EU’s top diplomat Joseph Borrel, relationship between two has strained in recent times. Tensions furr escalated after Vlimir Putin ministration detained and sentenced opposition leer Alexei Navalny on February 2 sparking outr.

On February 2, 44-year-old was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for violating terms of his probation while recuperating in Germany from nerve-nt poisoning. During hearing, Putin’s most staunch critic said that Russian President is thing but an “underpants poisoner”. His arrest has caused nationwide protests prompting authorities to take to fines and detentions to quell protests. 

"We don't want to isolate ourselves from world, but we need to be rey for that. If you want peace, prepare for war," foreign minister Lavrov told media reporters while talking about potential EU sanctions.

Russian ministration h previously, warned EU over taking any "rash steps" asserting that new sanctions "will inevitably be followed by a proportionate response". EU foreign ministers are set to meet on February 22 to discuss sanctions. However, Borrell h alrey called on 27 member bloc to impose tough sanctions on Russia.

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EU Russia relationship

While both European Union and Russian Federation share several contracts on tre, politics, personal data protection and implementation of JCPOA, ir ties have been severed since 2014. Primary causes include Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, support for rebel groups in eastern Ukraine, policies in neighbourhood, disinformation campaigns and negative internal developments. Putin ministration’s intervention in Syria, Libya and sub-Saharan Africa have also irked bloc promoting it renew several sanctions against Moscow.

Meanwhile, Russia is gripped with both a civil crisis owing to Alexei Navalny's arrest and health crisis pertaining to an increasing caselo of COVID-19. Last week, country’s statistics ncy revealed that population of Russia has shrunk for first time in past 15 years, With pandemic pushing country into crisis, experts attributed decline primarily to COVID-19 induced deaths, low birth rate and increased migration. 

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