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Putin counted on typical European hesitance

ECR Co-Chairman Prof Ryszard Legutko sharply criticised the European Union's reluctance to impose truly effective sanctions against Russia in today's key debate in the European Parliament on the outcome of the recent European Council meeting that addressed the latest developments in Ukraine.

There is still a large gap between rhetoric and action, Legutko pointed out in Strasbourg, remarking that several EU countries, notably France and Germany, had continued to export arms to Russia despite EU sanctions in place since 2014.

He warned against national go-it-alone actions and implored the Member States, as well as Council President Charles Michel, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who were present, that any further hesitation or yielding would only play into
Putin’s hands.

Prof Legutko’s speech reads in full:

“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen. For anyone who has eyes to see, it must become clear that Putin’s war will continue and that the EU’s reaction has not brought the expected results. Despite the narcissistic, self-indulgent and self-congratulatory rhetoric of European leaders. The sanctions have too many loopholes, and some of the West European governments are beginning to have second thoughts.

“They modify their position or quibble over technicalities. The SWIFT blockade, which was to be an “atomic bomb”, so far resembles more a firework. The ban on the hydrocarbons proposed, among others, by Poland and Latvia was not accepted by the Council. Instead, President Macron continues his absurd telephone conversations with Putin and the German Government continues its typical self-serving political game, and this European hesitance is precisely what Putin must have counted on when deciding to invade Ukraine.

“In the meantime, the Russian economy has become stabilised, more or less. The Moscow exchange is gaining profits, the Russian rouble has gone up, and Gazprom gets 900 million Euros a day. And there is a time factor. Putin has all the time he needs. He has wide support among the Russian population. His army is not badly equipped. He has been devastating Ukraine with the arms he bought from France, Germany and eight other European countries, and this after the arms embargo that followed the annexation of Crimea. And Ukraine does not have time. As the war is being waged on her territory, people are killed and the cities ruined.

“Does Europe have time? Let us not delude ourselves. With the passing of time, Western Europe’s reaction will weaken and a desire to have some sort of normalisation will increase. This happened in the past more than once. And I’m afraid it might happen in the future, anyway I wouldn’t bet it won’t.”

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