OUR Vladimir Putin it is based on the “unwillingness” of Europeans to endure its consequences war which has been untied Moscow in Ukraine and the unity of the member states must be “maintained daily”, emphasizes the head of European diplomacy Joseph Borel in an interview with AFP.

“We must not forget that European Union it is a union of states that have different approaches to Russia,” reminds the Spanish diplomat, who is waiting for difficult discussions at the meeting of the ministers of defense and foreign affairs on August 30 and 31 in Prague.

“Member states are responsible for their foreign policy. We must make sure that our interests reach a common point. We are always looking for a compromise. In twenty-seven with the unanimity rule, this is sometimes not possible,” he admits, noting the lack of consensus on the abolition of this rule.

“And the more of us, the more difficult it will be. This is a problem that arises for expansion” in Ukraine and the countries of the Western Balkans, another topic of the meeting in Prague.

The adoption of the sixth round of sanctions, which provides for a gradual embargo on most Russian oil other than pipeline oil, has required tense negotiations with Hungary and its Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is “loudly saying he wants sanctions lifted” against Moscow. he recalls.

In Prague, Josep Borel will put on the table the creation of a mission to support the training of the Ukrainian armed forces in Europe, as the British and Americans are already doing.

“We need to provide support to Ukraine in addition to the supply of weapons. Against someone who refuses to stop the war, we must be able to resist,” he said during this telephone interview.

Since the start of the Russian offensive six months ago, the EU has allocated 2.5 billion euros to finance the supply of weapons and equipment to Ukraine.

“Vladimir Putin remains adamant. We must continue to pressure us with sanctions and rebuild Ukrainian forces,” Borel said.

Union “must endure”

“The war is taking a new turn. The Ukrainians went on the offensive. The terrorist attacks in Crimea have an important military and psychological dimension. “The Russians seem technologically outdated, but they retain the ability to strike,” explains Borrell.

The head of European diplomacy is concerned “that Putin is avoiding the problem.” “We are very concerned about the situation at nuclear power plants. Putin is playing with fire,” he emphasizes. The Zaporozhye station, Europe’s largest, is under Russian control, and Moscow and Kyiv deny responsibility for attacks directed at it in recent weeks.

The divisive issue of a 27-country ban on tourist visas for Russians, backed by Finland and the Baltic states, will also be on the agenda of the meeting in the Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency.

Borrell plays a key role in the sanctions proposals. The head of European diplomacy ruled on Monday that banning “all Russians from entering Europe for any reason is a bad idea.”

As Europe prepares for winter without Russian gas, Josep Borrell insists that the old continent must “bear and share the costs within the EU.”

He mainly advocates reform of energy prices, which are now aligned with natural gas prices, which have risen sharply in recent months and led to lower electricity prices.

“The best gift to Putin is paying for electricity at the price of natural gas,” he complains.

^{Source: APE-MEB, AFP.}