EU unlikely to heed British call for more Russia sanctions

BRUSSELS: The European Union is unlikely to heed London’s call for it to match the latest US sanctions against Moscow over an attack on a former Russian spy in Britain earlier this year, diplomats in Brussels said.

Britain’s foreign minister, Jeremy Hunt, said in Washington this week the EU should step up pressure on Russia after the ex- spy was attacked with a nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury.

The West blames Moscow for the attack; the Kremlin denies involvement. But EU diplomats doubted more sanctions would be imposed. They cited the usual divisions between EU members advocating a tough line on Moscow and those arguing for more engagement.

“There is no way. Italy and Austria, even France, want to do business with Russia too much,” one EU diplomat said.

Any new sanctions would require unanimity among all 28 member states.

The EU now has economic sanctions in place until the end of January against Russia over its role in the conflict in Ukraine, which has killed some 10,000 people and still simmers.

It also has curbs on doing business with Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

In late July, the EU added six new entries to its blacklist of entities subject to an asset freeze in the EU over the Ukraine conflict.

Diplomats said eight entries had been proposed, but two were dropped after opposition from Germany and Italy, who feared damage to their business dealings with Russia. — Reuters