About a specific plan for new sanctions at the EU summit, speech does not go.
If Russia continues bombing the Syrian city of Aleppo, the EU will consider all available responses, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
According to Merkel, about the specific terms of new sanctions at the summit of speech does not go, but the EU, if necessary, can act quickly. The summit participants unanimously condemned the “inhuman” bombing and agreed to increase pressure on Moscow and Damascus to seek a truce in Syria, said Merkel.
“The European Council strongly condemns the attacks on civilians carried out by the Syrian regime and its allies, including Russia” and “require them to stop the atrocities, by taking immediate steps to ensure humanitarian access in Aleppo and other parts of the country,” reads the draft of the final statement of the summit participants. The mention of sanctions against the supporters of Damascus had been removed from the draft document. If “atrocities” in Aleppo will not stop, the EU will take into account “all available opportunities” to influence Russia and Syria, said on the same day the head of the European Council Donald Tusk.
According to Tusk, “it becomes clear that Russia’s strategy is aimed at weakening the EU”, for this purpose different methods – from violations of airspace and information campaigns to cyber-attacks and interference in political processes. The summit decided to counteract this. The EU is ready to dialogue but will not compromise in terms of its values and principles, stated Donald Tusk.
