During a plenary session in Strasburg on Wednesday, MEPs came up with a tough resolution, calling the EU to re-consider its relations with Russia in the context of the Ukrainian crisis.
Besides the re-assessment of relations with Russia, the resolution urges the EU to counter Russian propaganda, assist Russian civil society and create independent Russian-speaking media outlets. The draft of the resolution was written based on a report of MEP Gabrielius Landsbergis of Lithuania.
"With its aggression against Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, the Russian leadership has put our policies at a crossroads. It's up to the Kremlin to decide now which way it will go — cooperation or deepening alienation," Landsbergis said.
Despite speculations in Western media about Russian troops fighting in eastern Ukraine, even NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg didn't raise the issue when speaking with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in February.
"To raise this question, one has to have some specific data. During all the past year, NATO presented us with no specific information," Stoltenberg said.
The conflict in Ukraine has the potential to turn really ugly this summer. A comprehensive peace agreement between major powers is needed to avoid the deterioration of the armed conflict. Instead, MEPs, informed with false information and an anti-Russian agenda, are trying to undermine the possibility of a future dialogue between the EU and Russia.
Currently, the relations between the West and Russia are at their lowest point since the end of Cold War. A lot of work is needed to restore trust between the two parties, but MEPs aren't interested in that. They want to push Russia further away, accusing it of fabricated lies based on non-factual information. This kind of unwise move is beneficial for neither side.
