(Brussels) NATO and the EU warned Moscow on Thursday of “heavy consequences” in the event of military intervention in Ukraine, after rejecting Russia’s will to veto Kiev’s possible membership of the Alliance.
“Any new aggression against Ukraine will have serious consequences and a high cost in response”, affirmed the heads of state and government of the 27 EU countries, meeting in summit in Brussels, in conclusions adopted at the ‘unanimity after several hours of discussion behind closed doors on possible European economic sanctions.
PHOTO OLIVIER MATTHYS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A supporter of preventive sanctions, Volodymyr Zelensky did not hide his disappointment at the wait-and-see attitude of the EU: “Many European leaders do not generally understand what is happening at our borders”, he lamented.
A NATO warning followed with the same terms.
“We will not compromise on Ukraine’s right to choose its own path, on NATO’s right to protect and defend all of its members, and on the fact that NATO has a partnership with Ukraine Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had previously said after a meeting at Alliance headquarters with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia demands that NATO “formally” renounce its 2008 decision to open the door to the accession of Ukraine and Georgia, a red line for the Kremlin.
“We must avoid getting into the game of Moscow,” said the representative of a European state on Thursday. “Faced with the military pressure exerted by Russia, we must avoid mistakes: accepting the conditions set would be an act of weakness, but we must also avoid escalation.”
Russia on Wednesday gave US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Karen Donfried a list of “proposals” on the legal guarantees demanded from NATO during her visit to Moscow.
Mme Donfield traveled to Brussels on Thursday to present the proposals to ambassadors of Alliance member states, diplomatic sources at NATO have learned.
Jens Stoltenberg has formalized an end of inadmissibility in Moscow. And EU leaders, 21 of which are NATO members, have shown their determination not to bow and called on Moscow to engage in dialogue with Kiev.
“Our strategy is based on a multiple approach: deterrence, resumption of dialogue and support for Ukraine,” French President Emmanuel Macron explained during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Renewed economic sanctions
European leaders on Thursday renewed for six months the economic sanctions imposed on Russia after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, announced the French head of state.
On the new sanctions envisaged, no details have been communicated. “Leaving the adversary in uncertainty is the best way to use the weapon of sanctions”, explained a European diplomat.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, recently completed, but not yet in service, “is a piece of the big puzzle”, assured the head of the Polish government Mateusz Morawiecki. But Olaf Scholz dodged questions about the pipeline. “It’s a private project,” he said.
The use of this infrastructure as a lever divides within its coalition, explained a diplomatic source.
A supporter of preventive sanctions, Volodymyr Zelensky did not hide his disappointment at the wait-and-see attitude of the EU: “Many European leaders do not generally understand what is happening at our borders”, he lamented.
While the Ukrainian forces are fighting in the region of Donbass (East) pro-Russian separatist forces that Moscow is accused of supporting, Mr. Zelensky pledged “not to give in to provocations” and to have “no aggressive attitude” .
The 27 called for “encouraging diplomatic efforts” with Moscow as part of the “Normandy format”.
In this diplomatic configuration established at a summit in Minsk in 2015, France and Germany play the role of moderators in the talks between the two belligerents.
The Alliance for its part renewed its proposal to bring together the NATO-Russia Council, the consultation body created in 2002 between the two blocs. Moscow has so far rejected this proposal.
Getting Russia back to the negotiating table will not be easy, Chancellor Olaf Scholz admitted.
“Moscow does not want to return to the Normandy format and wants to negotiate with the United States”, admitted the European diplomat.
“The Americans support a return to this format for negotiations and talks are underway with Moscow. But nothing is stalled yet, ”he said.