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The visit, the first visit by EU diplomats to Russia since 2017, has been criticized by some European capitals, who are concerned that Moscow will use it as proof that Brussels wishes to return to normal communication.
But Borrell says he will deliver “clear news” to the Kremlin, which ignores Western calls to release Russia’s most famous critic, President Vladimir Putin, who was sent behind bars for nearly three years on Tuesday.
“When things are not going well, we need to communicate,” the former Spanish foreign minister said Monday.
The EU’s relations with Russia have been bad since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 and started inciting war in Ukraine. There are also concerns about Russia’s role in Belarus, Syria, Libya, Central Africa and the Caucasus.
Borrell is willing to talk with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about opportunities for cooperation on issues such as possible assistance from Russia to reactivate the agreement with Iran on its nuclear program, the fight against climate change and the pandemic.
However, the visit will be dominated by the imprisonment of Navaln and the arrest of thousands of protesters across Russia.
Josepas Borrell
“Nonsense”
The head of EU diplomacy has no illusions that he can pressure Moscow to release Navalna, and the Kremlin has already warned him.
“We hope there is no nonsense like the prospects for Russia-EU relations with this resident of the detention center,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Moscow is “willing to do anything” to develop relations with Brussels, but the Kremlin “is not prepared to hear statements” on the Navaln issue, he said.
Authorities did not support attempts to meet with a Putin critic, and Borrell will have to settle for an interview with civil society.
At the time, some countries in Europe were increasingly calling on the EU to impose more sanctions after announcing sanctions on six Russian officials for the Navaln poisoning in October.
EU foreign ministers agreed last week to return to the issue if Navaln is not released.
“This decision will also be followed by negotiations between the EU partners. Further sanctions cannot be ruled out,” said Steffen Seibert, spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The EU statement said foreign ministers will discuss “possible next steps” on February 22.
Navaln himself, last year, two months before returning to Moscow, called for sanctions in the European Parliament for oligarchs and financiers accused of protecting Putin’s assets.
But European diplomats say any measure, if any, is likely to be directed against officials and officials directly involved in cracking down on the protests.
Germany was also asked to suspend the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project for supplying Russian natural gas to Europe.
The continent’s heavyweight Berlin rejects such requests, and Borrell says Brussels has no power to force Germany to suspend the project.
“I don’t think that’s the way to solve the Navaln problem,” Borrell said. “The Russians will not change course if we tell them to stop Nord Stream.”
For Moscow, Borrell’s visit will likely be an opportunity both to divert attention from her own problems and to show that the West still wants to talk to her.
“There are no signs of weakness”
“On the one hand, the Kremlin wants to present the EU as a weak player with many internal problems, [bet] on the other hand, despite official rhetoric, the Kremlin is still willing to show that Western actors are interested in cooperating with Russia, as this strengthens their status and increases their legitimacy, ”said Susan Stewart of the German Center for Strategic Studies (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik).
But as European leaders prepare to discuss their common position on Russia at summits in the coming months, diplomats in Brussels say now is the right time to visit Moscow.
“There are reasons to go there and pass on the knowledge,” said a European diplomat.
“This mission is not a sign of weakness,” he added.
“Relations with Russia are one of the most difficult for the European Union. Recent events underscore the need for my visit to Moscow. However, in addition to issues of disagreement, there are areas in which the EU and Russia are really cooperating. or they would like to work more closely, “Borrel said before the visit.
The EU foreign minister will pay a working visit to Moscow from February 4-6 and talks with Lavrov are scheduled for Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
On the eve of the visit, Mr Borrell, on behalf of the community leaders, condemned the decision of a Russian court to impose a prison sentence on Mr Navaln.
“The European Union condemns the decision of the Russian authorities to convict Mr. It considers Navalna unacceptable because he is politically motivated and is contrary to Russia’s international human rights obligations,” the statement said.
Borrell also wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday: “During my visit to Moscow, I will raise the issue of the Navaln case.”
On January 17, Navaln was detained at Moscow airport less than an hour after returning to Russia from Germany, where he was being treated for his nerve paralyzing substance Novičiok, created by Soviet scientists after his poisoning last summer.
A Moscow court ruled Tuesday that a 44-year-old anti-corruption activist would have to spend two years and eight months behind bars for violating the terms of a probation sentence imposed on him in a 2014 embezzlement case. Navaln, for his part, affirms that those accusations were only a pretext to silence him.
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