BRUSSELS: The European Union on Wednesday took a significant step towards sanctioning Russia in response to a series of recent hybrid and sabotage attacks across Europe, according to diplomats.
The EU and NATO have accused Moscow of orchestrating incidents aimed at destabilizing Western nations amid ongoing tensions related to the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. Several EU countries, including Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, have reported uncovering plots or incidents, such as arson attacks allegedly linked to Russian operatives in recent months.
During a meeting in Brussels, ambassadors from the 27 EU member states approved the establishment of a new legal framework to impose visa bans and asset freezes on individuals responsible for these attacks. Once the framework is formally signed off next week, the EU will be able to add specific Russian agents or entities to a blacklist.
European officials believe that these Russian actions are partially aimed at undermining support for Ukraine as Moscow’s war enters its third year. Since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, EU nations, alongside the United States, have provided substantial support to Ukraine.
The EU has already implemented 14 rounds of unprecedented sanctions against Russia to hinder the Kremlin’s military efforts. Furthermore, several EU countries, led by Prague, have been advocating for measures to restrict the movement of Russian diplomats within the bloc. However, there has not yet been unanimous support for this initiative, and Hungary, the EU’s most pro-Russian member, recently drew criticism from its counterparts by easing visa restrictions for Russians.
