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Riho Terras, representative of Estonia in the European Parliament, will address Monday to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the removal of J. Borrell from the post of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy . “If he does not resign by then,” said the Estonian politician.
Terras, a former soldier, began collecting signatures from members of the European Parliament for his proposal over the weekend. “There are now more than 20 supporters, including very important people,” he told Poostimes on Sunday night.
Terras warned that “this is a great political game” and that he is “just a newcomer.” The politician was elected to the European Parliament for the first time in 2020. “I hope that those who have a conscience and who understand that Mr. Borrell’s visit to Moscow was a great mistake and a complete failure of European diplomacy will join this letter”, Terras said.
Political slap during visit
European analysts on Russia have shown exceptional unity since Borrell’s visit, with politicians attempting to approach the Kremlin as an embarrassing failure, the BBC reports.
Critics say the visit at a time when Europe is considering new sanctions, and the way Borrell appeared in Moscow, can be described as a catastrophic failure.
“Basically, Borrell’s performance was catastrophic. He acknowledged that the EU had not taken any action on possible sanctions against Russia over the Navaln issue. Borrell, the former Spanish foreign minister, stood and fell silent, half smiling, while Lavrov rebuked the EU in a closing speech, calling it an “unreliable partner”, according to Politico.
Sandra Kalniete, a Latvian MEP and a former foreign minister of the country, was extremely critical of her colleague’s visit to Moscow. “Appearing at a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a time when Alexei Navaln, the main opposition politician, is being tried again for political reasons, does not help his case. It is a slap all those who defend democracy, “he said.
Mark Galeotti, a leading political scientist and expert on Russian issues, recalled in his Spectator publication that many had asked Borrell to cancel the visit. According to the expert, the politician did not take these suggestions in vain. “It was an example of the worst diplomacy of the European Union at the highest level. Borrel’s dubious visit to Moscow was successful. It is true, unfortunately, the triumph of the Russians, ”wrote M. Galeotti.
Mr. Galeotti, like many others, noted that Mr. Borrell had not attempted to meet with Mr. Navaln or his followers, much to the delight of the Kremlin. In addition, in exchange for this, he heard accusations of “unreliability” from S. Lavrov, and during the visit he also learned from social media about the sending of European diplomats from Russia to participate in the protests in Moscow.
According to the expert, Russia may not want to get angry with the Biden administration and “get into a fight with the United States”, but wants to show somehow that it cannot be intimidated. That is why Mr Borrell and the EU were chosen to be “self-nominated”.
We recall that during Saturday’s meeting, Mr. Borrell stressed “the need to continue the dialogue with Moscow.” The politician insinuated “respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, human rights and fundamental freedoms.” However, the declarative messages were overshadowed by Lavrov’s harsh criticism of the EU and the news announced during the meeting about the expulsion of European diplomats from Russia.
After receiving criticism, he withdrew
It is true that already on Sunday, Borrell, apparently evaluating the consequences of his visit, was forced to explain and change his tone. In his Twitter message, Borrell said that “the visit to Russia demonstrated that Russia is not seeking a constructive dialogue with the EU.” He also stated that he regretted this and that such behavior would have some consequences. It has not been clarified whether specific sanctions will be imposed.
“The aggressive press conference and the expulsion of three EU diplomats during my visit show that the Russian authorities did not want to take this opportunity to engage in a more constructive dialogue with the EU,” Borrell said, noting that his meeting with Mr. Lavrov highlighted the European-Russian distance.
According to the politician, he will present the report of his visit to the EU foreign ministers on February 22, after which possible additional actions will be considered.
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