Russia ‘ready for EU split’ over sanctions
RUSSIA is prepared for a split with the European Union if the bloc imposes crippling new sanctions amid a dispute over the treatment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the nation’s top diplomat has warned.
In response to a question about Moscow’s willingness to break links with the EU, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said in televised remarks that Russia does not want to be isolated but must increase its self-sufficiency to face potential EU sanctions.
“We don’t want to be isolated from international life, but we must be ready for that,” he said. “If you want peace, you must prepare for war.”
Asked if Russia is heading towards a split with the European Union, he replied: “We proceed from the assumption that we are ready for that.”
He emphasised the importance of economic ties with the 27 EU nations, adding that Moscow would continue engaging in mutually beneficial co-operation, but must prepare
for the worst and increasingly rely on its own resources.
“We must achieve that in the economic sphere, if we see again, as we have felt more than once, that sanctions imposed in some areas create risks to our economy, including in sensitive spheres, such as supplies of parts and components,” he added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasised that Russia wants to maintain normal ties with the EU but needs to prepare for the worst if the bloc takes hostile actions.
“If we face a destructive course that will hurt our infrastructure, our interests, Russia must be ready in advance for such unfriendly steps,” Mr Peskov said during a call with reporters.
“We must be self-reliant. We must ensure our security in the most sensitive strategic areas and be prepared to replace everything we could be deprived of with national infrastructure in case madness prevails and such unfriendly actions take place.”
European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said the EU welcomes “mutually beneficial co-operation whenever the other side is ready for such a co-operation and for such a dialogue”, adding that Moscow has “indicated that they are not really willing to go in this direction”.
German foreign ministry spokeswoman Andrea Sasse described Mr Lavrov’s comments as “really disconcerting and incomprehensible”.
She told reporters in Berlin that foreign minister Heiko Maas had made Germany’s grievances with Russia clear but also emphasised that “we are interested in co-operation with Russia”.
TWO more prominent members of Welsh Labour have been suspended by the party in what they see as an attempt to purge supporters of its former leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Earlier this week we reported that eight lay officials of the party in Wales had been suspended in the wake of last year’s report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on antiSemitism within Labour.
In only one of the cases was antiSemitism considered by the party to be an issue.
Now a well-known university lecturer, as well as the new chairman of a constituency Labour Party, whose predecessor has already been suspended, have been removed temporarily from party membership.
Steve Davies and Penny Owen – the suspended chairman – were both members of Cardiff North Labour Party.
A letter sent by the party to Mr
Davies told him he was accused of conduct at meetings that was “grossly detrimental” to the party.
He said: “I think this is the same catch-all nonsense used in all the other suspensions. Judging by the fact that they refer to my conduct at ‘meetings’, they obviously have me down as a serial offender.
“Quite what strategic and forensic genius thinks that continuing to suspend people is a good idea, when it appears they are about to reinstate 50 of those suspended earlier, is a mystery for the gods. Especially so in a seat that they need to win, but may find difficult, in a looming Welsh general election.”
Mr Davies said he had spoken in favour of a motion that expressed solidarity with Mr Corbyn “as a lifelong campaigner against racism and anti-Semitism” and moved another that called for the Labour whip to be restored to Mr Corbyn at Westminster. It was removed from Mr Corbyn after he was accused of playing down the incidence of anti-Semitism in the party.
Last month Mr Davies moved a motion which insisted that democratic debate was “the lifeblood of a healthy party and Cardiff North proudly endorses that tradition”.
Ms Owen said: “The UK Labour leadership and some in Welsh Labour appear quite happy to lose Cardiff North to the Tories and to lose the only Labour government in a UK country, to further their own political ambitions and power.
“They should be fighting the worst Tory government in generations, not spending their time suspending their own members. The working people of this country need a united Labour Party as promised by [Sir Keir] Starmer in his [Labour] leadership election campaign – a promise which was tossed aside as soon as he became leader.”
Mr Davies said: “It is impossible to judge what impact the suspensions will have more widely on the election campaign but we know from feedback already that it has caused a lot of anger and discontent. At a time when the party needs to be mobilised for campaigning, the suspensions effectively demobilise it and demoralise many members. The sus
pensions are a major distraction from getting on with the task of winning the seat for Labour and they divert time and energy from the campaign.”
The Labour Party will not comment on disciplinary cases that are pending.
However, Swansea East Labour MP Carolyn Harris, deputy leader of Welsh Labour and a parliamentary aide to Sir Keir, said in a podcast this week that left-wing critics of Sir Keir were making themselves look “silly”.
Referring to speculation that Sir Keir might face a leadership challenge as members fear he is repositioning the party to the centre, she said: “All this nonsense about so-and-so and so-andso is going to challenge him for the leadership – bring it on, because it’s nonsense. (They are) just making themselves look silly.
“Talking on Zoom, that’s all they are doing, talking to each other on Zoom.
“Come into the real world, my loves, and let’s talk about the damage that’s been done.”