Borrell: The EU must ‘endure’ and ‘maintain its unity’ vis-à-vis Moscow

Vladimir Putin is relying on the “reluctance” of Europeans to suffer the consequences of the war launched by Moscow in Ukraine and the unity of the member states must be “maintained on a daily basis”, underlines the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell in an interview with French Agency.

“We must not forget that the European Union is a union of states that have different approaches to Russia,” reminds the Spanish diplomat who expects difficult discussions at the meeting of defense and foreign ministers on August 30 and 31 in Prague.

“Member states are responsible for their foreign policy. We have to make sure that our interests reach a common point. We are always looking for compromise. In the Twenty-Seven with the rule of unanimity, that is sometimes impossible,” he admits, observing the absent consensus to repeal this rule.

“And the more we are, the more difficult it will be. This is a problem that arises for enlargement” in Ukraine and the Western Balkan countries, another topic of the meeting in Prague.

The adoption of a sixth package of sanctions, which imposes a gradual embargo on most Russian oil, except for pipelines, required thorny negotiations with Hungary and its Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who says “loudly” that he wants the sanctions lifted. against Moscow, he reminds.

In Prague, Josep Borel will put on the table the creation of a mission to support the training of the Ukrainian armed forces in Europe, as the British and Americans are already doing.

“We have to give Ukraine a support beyond the supply of weapons. Against someone who refuses to stop the war, we have to be able to resist,” he said during this telephone interview.

Since the start of the Russian offensive six months ago, the EU has released 2.5 billion euros to finance the supply of arms and equipment to Ukraine.

“Vladimir Putin remains intransigent. We must continue the pressure through sanctions and rebuild the Ukrainian forces,” Borel argues.

– The Union must “endure” –

“The war is taking a new turn. The Ukrainians have gone on the offensive. The attacks in Crimea have a significant military and psychological dimension. The Russians seem technologically outdated, but they retain an ability to strike,” Borrell explains.

The head of European diplomacy is concerned “that Putin is avoiding facing the problem”. “We are very worried about the situation at the nuclear power plants. Putin is playing with fire,” he emphasizes. The Zaporizhia station, Europe’s largest, is under Russian control and Moscow and Kyiv have denied responsibility for attacks targeting it in recent weeks.

The divisive issue of the 27’s ban on tourist visas for Russians, backed by Finland and the Baltic states, will also be on the agenda for the meeting in the Czech Republic, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

Borrell plays a key role in the sanctions proposals. The head of European diplomacy ruled on Monday that banning “entry into Europe to all Russians for any reason is not a good idea”.

As Europe prepares for a winter without Russian gas, Josep Borrell insists the old continent needs to “bear and spread the costs within the EU”.

He mainly advocates a reform of energy prices, which are currently adjusted to the price of natural gas, which has soared in recent months and dragged down the price of electricity.

“The best gift given to Putin is to charge electricity at the price of natural gas,” he complains.