EU foreign ministers will consider possible “next steps” against Russia after Western nations condemned the Kremlin’s harsh treatment of protesters demanding the release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
The United States, the EU and Britain joined Vladimir Putin’s government on Sunday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who described the mass arrest of thousands of protesters in several Russian cities as “An intolerable affront” and a “sliding authoritarianism.”
Clashes erupted in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and other cities on Sunday, and some protesters clashed with riot gear and helmets. Dozens of people were injured.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has called on the EU to step up sanctions against Russia for the treatment of Navalny, who was arrested last weekend on his way back to Russia from Germany for the first time since being poisoned with a nervous agent.
“It simply came to our notice then [avoid conflict] is to compel observance of international law. The only way to do that without rifles, cannons and bombs is through sanctions, ”Duda told the Financial Times.
The Polish leader also said that the head of EU Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, should reconsider plans to visit Russia next month if Navalny is not released.
EU foreign ministers were expected to discuss his response to Navalny’s arrest on Monday, and Borrell said the “next steps” would be discussed.
Manfred Weber, a senior German Conservative and head of the center-right EPP grouping in the EU parliament, told the German newspaper group RND that the arrest of protesters should not be tolerated and that Russia should suffer financial sanctions.
“It is unacceptable for the Russian leadership to try to do a short job of the growing protests by arresting thousands of protesters.
“EU foreign ministers are not allowed to dodge this once again and stop at general appeals,” Weber said. “The EU has to hit where it really hurts the Putin system – and that’s the money,” Weber said, adding that the bloc should cut financial transactions from Putin’s inner circle.
In addition, the threat to stop the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which aims to double Russia’s natural gas supplies to Germany, must remain on the table, Weber added.
A German government spokeswoman declined to comment when asked if Berlin was willing to support new sanctions against Russia after Navalny’s arrest.
EU lawmakers on Thursday passed a resolution calling for the bloc to stop the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in response to Navalny’s arrest.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has continued to support the project despite criticism elsewhere in the EU, said on Thursday that her view of the project had not changed despite the Navalny case.
During the protests, U.S. Embassy spokeswoman in Moscow Rebecca Ros said on Twitter that “the United States supports the right of everyone to a peaceful protest, freedom of expression. The measures taken by the Russian authorities are suppressing those rights. ”The embassy also tweeted a statement from the state department calling for Navalny’s release.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said US comments were “inappropriate” and accused Washington of “interfering in our internal affairs.”