The European Union held a video call with two allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, joined by envoys from Britain, the United States, Canada, and Ukraine on Monday. The Russian opposition leaders urged the European Union to impose sanctions against Russian Businesses, Political figures, Judges and Security Chiefs during the call. The call was denounced by the Russian as act of treachery. The EU is set to meet on February 22, the first forum for the West to consider any possible joint response to Navalny’s jailing last week and expulsions of diplomats from Germany, Sweden, and Poland by the Russian government on Friday. Earlier US President Joe Biden called for the immediate and unconditional release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, while joining the several other countries in their demand from Russian government. As a retaliatory measure to Russian move, Germany, and Sweden both expelled a member of Russian embassy staff on Monday. Russia also turned down the request to visit Navalny by the Top European diplomat, Joseph Borrell during his visit to Kremlin last week.
The United States government is signaling forcefully to express its support for Putin’s critic and opposition leader Alexi Navalny after his arrest by the Russian regime. The United States said it would take action against Moscow for interfering with US elections, poisoning opposition leader Alexei Navalny and for other malign behaviour. On other hand, Navalny allies and Russian opposition leaders want that EU and America should impose sanctions against Russia to bust the Putin on economic front. Putin’s opposition have unearthed several cases of financial embezzlement by the Russian ruling party, thus created significant embarrassment for the Putin’s government. The EU Foreign Policy Chief, Joseph Borrell commented that Europe and Russia are drifting apart, and Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat for it. Due to this current rift in diplomatic relations, several European countries are advocating for imposition of sanction against Russia, earlier, it was also facing European economic sanctions since 2014 due to Kremlin annexation of Crimea with Ukraine. Europe accused Russia of seeking to undermine the West through disinformation and covert operations.
The Russian relationship with Europe sees a new low, after the arrest and conviction of Navalny by the Russian court on February 02. The Navalny arrest was condemned by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, German Foreign Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, EU Foreign Policy Chief, and many other Western State officials. Russian Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, termed these calls as interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and recommend that everyone deal with their own problems, he further said that there are a lot of problems in these countries, there is work to be done.
The Putin’s government had hit in between the Navalny arrest and anti-government campaign by the Navalny supporters across the Country. The Russian Court had announced the 3 years imprisonment term for him on the charges of embezzlement and defaming a world war II veteran.
There is much deliberation of the issue of Navalny in the European capitals and the United States. The EU nations are considering more hard response to deteriorating situation of Human rights in Russia. EU gives much importance to human rights and freedom of expression in their society. However, Navalny case has political and financial aspects also. Russia mostly maintained a Hawkish policy toward Europe and America. Being a big economic and industrial power, Russia pose an attractive market for European goods, electronic and automobile industries. Whereas huge reservoirs of oil and gas, are the main source of energy for the Europe, while providing gas supply to several European Countries including Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Italy, France, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and , Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia and Bulgaria. About 39% of domestic need of natural gas is being imported by Europe from Russia through 12 pipelines. Russia usually use this leverage as tool to exert pressure on European states or creating rift between them. Only United States is in position to take any punitive measures against Russia, as it openly referred this situation as an opportunity for it to pay off the Russian interference in US Presidential election. The situation is ripe, and ground is fully prepared for the stock. The recent developments in Russia clearly illustrates, that now it is Putin’s turn to face the cost, as Opposition is fully inspired to clench the power, either it comes through the enemy’s hands.
