Tensions between Russia and certain EU member nations continue to rise today with tit-for-tat expulsions of ambassadors leading Russian President Vladimir Putin to accuse some nations of trying to provoke a new Cold War.
Despite that, the EU has rejected the most recent push for new sanctions, again pushed by Ukrainian officials predicting an imminent Russian invasion of Europe as a whole.
The EU did agree to some additional travel bans on ethnic Russian rebels inside Ukraine, but efforts to expand sanctions on the Russian government were blocked by a growing number of opponents, led by Austria and Greece. Any EU sanctions have to be unanimous.
There is a growing divide in the EU over the sanctions, with the push primarily coming from Poland and the Baltic States, along with nations in the far west with little meaningful trade with Russia to begin with. Eastern Central Europe, where many of the nations are extremely reliant on Russian trade for energy, seems to be reluctant to let the sanctions escalate any farther than they already are.
The EU is finally waking up to the downside of sanctions against Russia. Sanctions never work; and evidence is pointing to this fact; as the consequences of leveling these sanctions are already being felt in the poorer EU member states, such as Greece, Italy, etc., as austerity has already begun in those countries.
Furthermore, Russia is hardly affected; she has already pivoted toward Asia, and is benefitting from that move. She's already signed two gas deals with China; and the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa) are readying a plan to establish their own central bank to rival the IMF. This all will leave both the EU and US in the dust.
"…plan to establish their own central bank…"
Which is one of the reasons the US is so determined to destroy the Russian economy. It was the same with Iraq and Saddam, who was talking with others to take the petro currency off the US dollar.
AmeriKan elites have only themselves to blame. They seemed to jump into the Ukraine destabilization after what appeared to be imminent war with Syria was averted with some skilled diplomacy, not caring about unforeseen consequences…as usual.
…that would be skilled "Russian" diplomacy, of course.
What's interesting about Mr Ditz's presentation is that it gives the lie to those who talk about sanctions being "!imposed" on Member States: "Any EU sanctions have to be unanimous". That there would be disagreement amng the Member States as to the appropriate level of sanctions just goes to show how democratic the functioning of the EU actually is.
Rest assured that if this "disagreement" among the member states actually succeeds and stifles the oligarchs attempt to crush the Russian economy (and Putin) there will be an effort to change the EU charter to avoid allowing "less invested" member states to hijack the plans of the "more invested." Kind of like the way they set up the UN Security Council's permanent member veto to keep the rabble in line – or at least irrelevant.
Not so long time ago Mr.Biden gave a conference in a us university were he declared that sanctions were pushed personaly by Obama in every eurpean country.One the pression used against France was the amount of fines against the french bank BNP Paribas.Obama is one of the biggest anti russian hate promotor.Little Vladimir is upseting him.
Thank you Austria and Greece. At least someone reasonable among the bunch of euro-morons. How long though before the US bribe their leaders to change their tune.
Empire USA — A fascist coup Democracy our specialty
Democracy being a dictatorship by and for the voting majority, namely the educated upper half of society, easy as slicing butter was it for our CIA to sniper waste a couple hundred protesters and police, then like magic the next day a fascist coup Democracy appears out of nowhere. For the fascist Democracy is doing exactly what the upper half of society would live the most, to cannibalize the East Ukraine industries so that they can realize an immediate financial benefit.
For since Ukraine broke away from Russia, the rich nobility have made billions upon billions breaking up and selling off the public owned wealth of Ukraine.
We blame USA , Russia for the crisis.Nobody blames ukrainian oligarchs who created this situation.