EU agrees to sanction four Russian officials over Putin critic Navalny's detention

European Union foreign ministers on Monday agreed to slap sanctions against the Russian officials for Moscow's "unlawful' detention of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, diplomatic sources close to EU officials informed Associated Press agency. 27-nation bloc convened in Brussels on a videoconference meeting presided by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken where the decision of imposing new punitive measures, backed by Germany, Poland, France, and other Baltic states was reached, in order to “convey a message” to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The list of the sanctioned Russian officials will be finalized by the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. 

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[European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks to the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers. Credit: AP]

“We reached a political agreement to impose restrictive measures against those responsible for (Navalny’s) arrest and sentencing and persecution,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after he concluded the meeting with EU diplomats. He informed, that the names of the 4 officials will be informed within a week’s time. Borrell, additionally, stated that the supporters of Navally had appealed for the bloc to impose sanctions on oligarchs close to Russian leader Putin, which, the EU rejected considering those targets might withstand the legal measures taken by the EU. “There is a shared assessment in the Council that Russia is drifting towards an authoritarian state and driving away from Europe,” Borrell told a conference following the sanction verdict, berating Russia's jailing of its opposition politician. 

Kremlin slams EU Foreign Affairs Council

Meanwhile, in response to the EU’s move, Kremlin on Monday reacted bitterly to the sanctions against Russian politicians labelling the measure as "categorically unacceptable”, adding that Moscow was "disappointed" with the bloc’s decision. Furthermore, in a statement, cited by Russia’s RFL, Kremlin denounced the EU Foreign Affairs Council for invoking "far-fetched pretext" and imposing baseless "new unlawful restrictions on Russian citizens.” Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, meanwhile, called the sanctions regrettable but necessary, saying that the EU’s 27 members bloc was compelled to take targeted measures against Russian individuals and institutions against Moscow’s human rights violations. “The relations are certainly at a low, there is no other word for it, therefore, we decided today to impose further sanctions and list specific persons,” the German Foreign Minister was quoted by AP as saying. He added, “Relations between the EU and Russia have certainly reached a low point.” 

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