About: EU sanctions

EU summit debrief: Orban is a scapegoat, the problem is Germany

In an interview with EURACTIV, Witold Waszczykowski, the former foreign minister of Poland and a leading lawmaker in the European Parliament, gave a less than optimistic account of the extraordinary EU summit on Ukraine held on 30-31 May.

Industry boss: ‘Without Russian gas, we are probably in the worst situation we’ve ever been’

European gas infrastructure operators are preparing for all scenarios in the coming winter, including one “with no Russian gas at all” and supply cuts for consumers, says Torben Brabo.

Analyst says if Putin was a candidate in Serbia, he would get over 70% of the vote

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić knows that “Russia has become completely useless for Serbia”, but he will keep up his pro-Putin rhetoric to please his electorate in the run-up to the elections on 3 April, says Orhan Dragaš, a security expert in Belgrade.

Ambassador: Ukraine succeeded to put security at the centre of Eastern Partnership

In an interview with EURACTIV, Vsevolod Chentsov, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the EU, discussed last week’s Eastern Partnership summit and EU summit, tensions with Russia, Nord Stream-2, NATO aspirations, and his country's security strategies.

Too many loopholes left in Belarus sanctions regime, says Tsikhanouskaya

Western sanctions on Alexander Lukashenko's regime need to be better coordinated to fill the currently existing loopholes, Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya told EURACTIV ahead of a crucial Eastern Partnership summit this week.  

Lithuania: Official entities participate in Belarus human trafficking

Official entities, such as airlines and tourist agencies, are involved in organised human trafficking via Belarus and should face sanctions, Lithuania's foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Tsikhanouskaya: Repressions are escalating, EU should be ‘braver’ in its sanction policy

Actions of the international community, including European sanctions against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, have to be ‘faster and braver‘ to support Belarusian civil society in its struggle, Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told EURACTIV. “The protest mood hasn’t been...

Analyst: Most EU states sit on fence when it comes to frozen conflicts

EURACTIV.com asked Amanda Paul to comment on the annual report on common foreign and security policy adopted by the European Parliament on 12 December, with reference to the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries.

Ponomaryev: Consensus rules make EU weak against Putin

Consensus voting doesn’t help the EU to stand strong against an ever more assertive Russia, Ilya Ponomaryev, Russian opposition figure and a former member of the State Duma, told EURACTIV Poland in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview.

Fleckenstein: Western Balkan countries need more support

Western Balkans countries need to fully implement EU-related reforms, Knut Fleckenstein told EURACTIV. However, the tough economic situation has made it difficult for them to do so.

EU businesses in Russia: American sanctions are clearer

The EU will lose ground in Russia, because they discourage business, even in cases when there are no restrictions, Frank Schauff, CEO of the Association of European Businesses in Russia, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Yelisieiev: The EU should send a CSDP mission to Ukraine

Ukraine has asked the EU to dispatch an EU-led Security and Defence (CSDP) mission to Donbas, which, according to Kyiv, should be the biggest ever, Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Chizhov: Sending arms to Ukraine is ‘the worst possible idea’

The conflict in eastern Ukraine can only be resolved by political means. Arming Ukraine is the worst idea under present circumstances, Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's Ambassador to the EU, told EURACTIV, in an exclusive interview.

Cyprus Ambassador: The EU should tell Turkey that gunboat diplomacy is over

The European Union should make Turkey understand that in the 21st, century gunboat diplomacy has no place, Kornelios Korneliou, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the EU told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. In October, Turkey sent naval vessels specialising in seismic exploration, into Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, without permission.

Serbian minister: For EU integration, we need the understanding of our citizens

EU integration means deep reform. This is why Serbia needs the understanding of its citizens, as well as of its partners in the Union, Jadranka Joksimovi? told EURACTIV Serbia in an exclusive interview.

Rebecca Harms: Oettinger is a man of big business

As energy commissioner, Günther Oettinger killed proposals that could have led to greater energy savings, job creation, and climate protection, Rebecca Harms, President of the Greens- European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament, told EURACTIV Poland, in an exclusive interview.

Buzek: Energy independence is the best sanction against Russia

SPECIAL REPORT: New Council President Donald Tusk is a proponent of a European Energy Union, aimed at achieving more independence from Russia. It is difficult to imagine a more devoted advocate of progress in this area than Tusk, Jerzy Buzek, MEP and former President of the European Parliament, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.