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EU considering sanctions against Russia over Aleppo bombing EU leaders fail to agree on threatening Russia with sanctions over Aleppo
(about 2 hours later)
The EU could threaten Russia with sanctions over the bombing of Aleppo, according to a draft EU summit communique seen by the Guardian. The EU has pulled back from threatening Russia with immediate sanctions over the bombing of Aleppo as a UK-backed plan ran into opposition from Italy.
Arriving at the summit in Brussels on Thursday, Theresa May had urged fellow leaders to press the Kremlin to stop its “appalling [and] sickening” atrocities in Syria. The prime minister said Europe needed to take a “robust and united stance” in the face of Russian aggression. At a summit of EU leaders on Thursday, Britain, France and Germany made a last-ditch push to issue a sanctions warning to Russia if “current atrocities” in Aleppo continue.
She joined forces with her French and German counterparts, François Hollande and Angela Merkel, who are seeking to step up the pressure on Russia. Despite vocal support from Theresa May and her French counterpart, François Hollande, the plan failed to win the necessary unanimity to pass.
Speaking as he arrived at the summit, Hollande said: “All options are open while there is no truce that is respected and there is this desire to erase a city, Aleppo, a martyred city.” The EU’s three biggest countries had wanted to warn Russia that individuals and organisations linked to the bombing of Aleppo could face asset freezes and travel bans if the violence continues.
The language of the EU’s thee most powerful countries is echoed in a draft summit communique that is significantly stronger than earlier versions. “The EU is considering all options, including further restrictive measures targeting individuals and entities supporting the regime, should the current atrocities continue,” it said. Arriving at the summit in Brussels, the British prime minister had urged fellow leaders to press the Kremlin to stop its “appalling [and] sickening” atrocities in Syria.
EU sources do not expect a decision on Thursday night, but want to ensure the threat is on the table. If sanctions were agreed, diplomats would draw up a list of Russian names and organisations that would be subject to travel bans and asset freezes. May told her counterparts over dinner that Russia posed a challenge to Europe’s democratic values and institutions, according to Downing Street sources.
Earlier this week, EU foreign ministers said Russia could be guilty of possible war crimes in Aleppo, but stopped short of calling for sanctions against Russians. Ministers agreed to widen sanctions against Syrians. But after talks finished around midnight a reference to sanctions in the summit communique was dropped and replaced with a more vague statement: “The EU is considering all available options should the current atrocities continue.”
May attempted to offer an olive branch to EU leaders alarmed by talk of a hard Brexit, promising that the UK would be a “strong and dependable partner” after it left the EU. Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, told reporters “it was difficult to imagine” this would mean further sanctions against Russia.
“The UK is leaving the EU, but we will continue to play a full role until we leave and we’ll be a strong and dependable partner after we’ve left,” she said. “It is in the interests of the UK and the EU that we continue to work closely together, including at this summit.” The tense debate ranged widely over tensions between the EU and Russia. Leaders discussed airspace violations, disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks and “interference” in the political processes of the EU, said Donald Tusk, the European council president.
Britain’s impending exit from the EU has raised questions about whether the bloc will be able to stay united on Russia. May believes Russia poses three separate threats, a No 10 source said: a challenge to Europe’s democratic values and institutions, “aggressive behaviour” in eastern Ukraine, and the bombing campaign in Syria. “It is clear that Russia’s strategy is to weaken the EU,” he said. “Increasing tensions with Russia is not our aim. We are simply reacting to steps taken by Russia.”
She wanted leaders to take a clear stance that Russia’s agenda in Syria was not about fighting Islamic State or al-Qaida, but encouraging Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to think he can win, thereby undermining western efforts to secure peace, the source said. Earlier in the week EU foreign ministers said Russia could be guilty of possible war crimes in Aleppo and agreed to widen sanctions against Syrians implicated in the bombing.
After the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, met Merkel and Hollande on Wednesday night, a “humanitarian pause” in attacks on rebel-held eastern Aleppo came into effect on Thursday morning. Britain’s impending exit from the EU has raised questions about whether the bloc will be able to stay united on Russia. May believed Russia poses three separate threats, a No 10 source said: a challenge to Europe’s democratic values and institutions, “aggressive behaviour” in eastern Ukraine and the bombing campaign in Syria.
Russia has offered to stop bombing eastern Aleppo for 11 hours a day over four days, but the proposal is seen as insufficient to bring about a peace deal. She wanted leaders to take a clear stance that Russia’s agenda in Syria was not about fighting Islamic State or al-Qaida, but encouraging the Syrian ruler, Bashar al-Assad, to think he could win, thereby undermining western efforts to secure peace, the source said.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, about 2,700 people have been killed or injured in Aleppo since Syrian forces, backed by Russia, launched an all-out assault last month. After the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, met Hollande and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Wednesday night, a “humanitarian pause” in attacks on rebel-held eastern Aleppo came into effect on Thursday morning.
Russia was put on the EU summit agenda at the request of the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, in May. He wanted to take stock of relations with the EU’s eastern neighbour following the decrease in fighting in eastern Ukraine. But any attempt to move relations on to a less confrontational footing has been scuppered by the fierce bombing of Aleppo. But EU sources said efforts towards a peace settlement had a long way to go. “The Russians were not being very constructive,” said one diplomat with knowledge of the talks.
The EU imposed economic sanctions against Russia in July 2014 in response to Russia’s arming of rebels in eastern Ukraine and failure to cooperate in the investigation over the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, which killed 298 people. Talk of ending the sanctions, which target Russian banks, energy companies and arms makers, had “completely disappeared without trace,” an EU diplomat said. Russia offered to stop bombing eastern Aleppo for 11 hours a day over four days but the proposal was seen as insufficient to bring about a peace deal.
Meanwhile, over a working dinner in Brussels, May will warn the 27 other EU leaders that Britain’s decision to leave is irreversible and there can be no second referendum. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights about 2,700 people have been killed or injured in Aleppo since Syrian forces, backed by Russia, launched an all-out assault in September.
The European council meeting will be the prime minister’s first opportunity to address the leaders of all the other member states since the Brexit vote in June. The EU imposed economic sanctions against Russia in July 2014 in response to Russia’s arming of rebels in eastern Ukraine and failure to cooperate in the investigation over the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, which killed 298 people. Talk of ending those sanctions, which target Russian banks, energy companies and arms makers, had “completely disappeared without trace”, an EU diplomat said.
Donald Tusk, the European council president, said the UK’s future relationship with the EU will not be on the formal agenda for the two-day meeting, but he will give May the opportunity to set out the “current state of affairs in the country” over coffee at the end of the meal.
Arriving at the summit, Tusk said he was very happy to welcome May. “Some media described her first meeting in the European council as entering the lion’s den,” he said. “It’s not true. It’s more like a nest of doves. She’ll be absolutely safe with us.”
A No 10 source said the prime minister would tell her fellow EU leaders: “The British people have made a decision and it’s right and proper that that decision is honoured. There will be no second referendum. The priority now has got to be looking to the future, and the relationship between the UK, once we leave.”
The source said May would seek to reassure the other member states, amid growing fears that Brexit could unleash political and economic instability in Britain and the rest of Europe.
“She wants the outcome at the end of this process to be a strong UK, as a partner of a strong EU,” the source said. “She doesn’t want the process of the UK leaving to be damaging for the rest of the EU. She wants it to be a smooth, constructive, orderly process.”
With speculation rife as to how Britain plans to conduct Brexit negotiations, Tusk wants to avoid a discussion and will not invite EU leaders to respond. May’s remarks are an “any other business point”, underscoring the fact that the UK is far down the priority list for the summit.