European Parliament discusses sanctions impact

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs committee discussed the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine today after the EU passed its fifth round of sanctions. MEP’s discussed the impacts of those sanctions as well as other actions the EU can take to help Ukrainians defend their country. 

“However they do provide for a vast number of exceptions, which casts some doubt on their efficiency,” committee chair David McAllister (EPP, DE) said. “And indeed, all sanctions adopted so far did not deter the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, as the war, sadly, is still going on.”

However despite the increasingly harsh sanctions imposed by the EU and its allies, the Russian ruble seems to have recovered and the conflict and humanitarian crisis continues. 

MEP’s published recommendations that don’t change the EU’s course in terms of the conflict. The statement emphasizes the importance of continuing to supply the Ukrainians with weapons, acknowledging Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU and highlighting their right to control their own alliances. 

MEP’s also discussed the ongoing struggle of Western Balkan states to join the EU. The committee heard progress reports on both Albania and North Macedonia, who applied for candidacy status in 2009 and 2004 respectively.

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