- Title: EU officials see no end to sanctions against Russia over Ukraine
- Date: 10th October 2016
- Summary: PASSAU, GERMANY (OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF MEDIA CENTRE WHERE PANEL DISCUSSION TAKING PLACE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MARTIN SCHULZ, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT DONALD TUSK AND NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG ARRIVING FOR PANEL DISCUSSION AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT DONALD TUSK, SAYING: "As you know we have prolonged our sanctions in June. Since June until now nothing changed. In fact the situation is worse, because if we observe what Russia is doing in Aleppo, in Syria. It means and sorry I should say it very openly: some European politicians has presented a typical western European illusion when they invited Russia to Syria as a method to solve the problem in Syria. And now we have new problems. I mean, I think i shouldn't describe the situation in Aleppo today. And this is why I think that it is obvious for me that today the only way is to prolong the sanctions against Russia." PANEL DISCUSSION IN PROGRESS AUDIENCE LISTENING CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG, SAYING: "We have seen that they have developed new capabilities. They have deployed more troops but of course the most concern is connected to the fact that they have actually been willing to use force against neighbours: Ukraine, Crimea. But also actually in Georgia. They also have troops in Moldova against the will of the Moldovan government. So we see a more assertive Russia, a stronger Russia, a Russia which is willing to use force." STOLTENBERG TALKING PANEL DISCUSSION IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG, SAYING: "At least we are making a lot of progress. You have to understand that it will take time before we are able to totally eradicate IS, Daesh but what we have seen during 2016 is that we are making progress. We have a very strong international coalition fighting ISIL, NATO allies and NATO is helping and supporting the Coalition and we have seen that ISIS now losing ground both in Iraq and Syria. I am under no illusions that this will be easy and i don't have any illusions that even when we have get rid of ISIL in Iraq and Syria they will still be around, they may come to North Africa, we have seen them in Afghanistan but at least I think there is some reason for optimism." PANEL DISCUSSION IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (German) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MARTIN SCHULZ, SAYING: "I consider her to be a very dangerous person. Marie Le Pen is the old ultra-nationalist wine in new pipes. What the Front National is trying to do is to beautify their xenophobic, exclusive, ultra-nationalistic character with a new face. If you listen to the rhetoric of Mrs. Le Pen, they have a scapegoat for everything and a solution for nothing." VARIOUS OF PANEL DISCUSSION IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 25th October 2016 21:33
- Keywords: IS Russia EU sanctions far-right Marie Le Pen Donald Tusk
- Location: PASSAU, GERMANY
- City: PASSAU, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00153FCND3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Top European Union and NATO officials called on Monday (October 10) for continued dialogue with Moscow, while maintaining pressure on Russia over its actions in Ukraine and its support for Syria's bombardment of civilians in Aleppo.
Speaking at an event in Germany hosted by the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper, EU President Donald Tusk said the situation in Syria was worsening, and the only way forward was to continue sanctions against Moscow.
"Some European politicians has presented a typical western European illusion when they invited Russia to Syria as a method to solve the problem in Syria," he said, "And now we have new problems. I mean, I think i shouldn't describe the situation in Aleppo today."
Europe is trying to find a way to respond to a Russia that is showing its military hand and Western countries have been increasingly vocal in their condemnation of Moscow's support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. That condemnation has intensified since Russian and Syrian warplanes opened their biggest offensive of the five-year-old civil war against rebels holding parts of Aleppo.
Some European lawmakers have called for the EU to impose fresh sanctions against Russia for its role in the mounting civilian death toll in Syria.
France and the United States have also called for an investigation into war crimes they say have been committed by Syrian and Russian forces in eastern Aleppo.
"The most concern is connected to the fact that they have actually been willing to use force against neighbours: Ukraine, Crimea. But also actually in Georgia. They also have troops in Moldova against the will of the Moldovan government. So we see a more assertive Russia, a stronger Russia, a Russia which is willing to use force," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the event hosted by the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz also used the panel discussion to condemn in harsh terms France's right-wing nationalist leader Marie Le Pen.
"I consider her to be a very dangerous person. Marie Le Pen is the old ultra-nationalist wine in new pipes. What the Front National is trying to do is to beautify their xenophobic, exclusive, ultra-nationalistic character with a new face. If you listen to the rhetoric of Mrs Le Pen, they have a scapegoat for everything and a solution for nothing," he said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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