Kremlin regrets failed revival of EU-Putin talks
A proposal for a meeting between the EU and Vladimir Putin, made by France and Germany, was rejected by some EU countries.
Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron had said they wanted to hold a meeting with Vladimir Putin, a proposal the European Union rejected.
AFP
Kremlin regrets missed opportunity on FridayResumption of talks between EU and Vladimir Putin. He pointed to the responsibility of the countries of Eastern Europe, which blocked the Franco-German proposal in this direction.
A week after the Geneva summit between the Russian president and his US counterpart Joe Biden, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron said they wanted to hold a meeting with the Kremlin’s master to deal with topics of major EU interest. .
But European leaders, at the summit in Brussels, could not agree on the subject due to opposition from the Baltic countries, Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands, who point fingers at the aggressive policy of Moscow in relation to the European people.
“Anti-Russian Mood”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he learned of the refusal “with regret”, calling the European decision “illogical and harmful to the future”. He assured that Vladimir Poutin was “generally conducive to the establishment of working relations between Moscow and Brussels”.
He also targeted opposition from former Eastern Bloc countries who are wary of Russian geopolitical ambitions. “We know that many countries oppose this dialogue and we know that it is about young Europeans, the Baltic states, Poland (…) above all and it is these countries that are talking without foundation. There are threats from Russia,” he said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the EU of setting its line with Moscow based on the “anti-Russian mood of some of its member states”.
Divisions
On the European side, both camps reiterated their position reflecting their divisions. The EU and Russia have not met at a summit since 2014, prior to the Russian annexation of Ukrainian Crimea. Since then, waves of sanctions and counter-sanctions have been following each other.
“Poland has rejected this German proposal because we believe it will escalate President Vladimir Putin rather than punish aggressive policy,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki remarked on Friday.
An argument to the taste of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who wanted to resume talks with Moscow before withdrawing. Joe Biden “meeted with Vladimir Putin for a serious interview, without giving the impression that this is an award for the Russian president”, she said.
“A sovereign EU should, in my opinion, be able to represent the interests of the EU in similar negotiations,” she said.
“no drama”
European Council President Charles Michel, for his part, defended the EU’s ability to negotiate with Russia on topics of mutual interest, in order to be satisfied “to react when we are provoked or attacked”. Instead, to implement your approach. “.
French President Emmanuel Macron wanted him to see the glass half full, noting that the refusal of several member states was “not a tragedy” as the idea of a dialogue between Europe and Russia advanced in Brussels.
For its part, Ukraine, which dimly viewed the Franco-German proposal, sought an explanation from the French and German ambassadors. The initiative, “contrary to the sanctions policy” against Moscow, “undermines European solidarity” and “does not encourage” Moscow to respect peace agreements, criticizing Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba.
tensions over Hungary
Another point of contention is the recent Hungarian law that prohibits the representation and “promotion” of homosexuality among minors. The law sparked an unusually fiery debate and prompted 17 member states to challenge EU leaders in a letter on the need to uphold European values.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Yesterday most of us were very clear that this new Hungarian law is against our values (…) There was overwhelming support for the idea that we were going to defend our values. are.”
The EU executive wrote to Budapest “to elaborate on our legal concerns,” she said. They gave him time till June 30 to reply. “Thereafter additional steps can be taken. It depends on how Hungary reacts,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
For his part, Emmanuel Macron felt that Europeans should “ask themselves the question” and determine how to fight the “religious” drift in some communist societies, while noting the difficulty for Europe to respond quickly. should be recognized.
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