Heads of EU MFAs came out for tougher sanctions on Russia

Russia’s annexation of Crimea must not be ignored.

This was stated by the heads of MFAs of EU countries in the course of a discussion on EU’s policies towards its Eastern European neighbors, Deutsche Welle reports.

“We should insist on abiding by the international law”, - Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt stated.

Certain participants of the meeting spoke in favor of tougher EU sanctions on Moscow and speeding up Ukraine’s European integration.

The head of Lithuania’s MFA Linas Linkevicius claimed that in the current situation Brussels should speed up Moldova and Georgia’s joining the community.

“All the rest would be interpreted as a sign of weakness by Moscow”, - he claimed.

To that the head of German MFA Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted that not all the countries of the Eastern Partnership should become EU members in future.

“The Neighborhood Policy is not aimed primarily at the enlargement of the European Union”, - the minister pointed out.

According to him, the program’s purpose is rather leveling the differences between the EU and its neighbors. With such an interpretation of European integration Brussels’ policy cannot be seen by Russia as a violation of the spheres of influence, Steinmeier added.