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Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg expects the EU to adopt new sanctions against Russia in light of the latest developments in the Alexei Navalny case.
The Kremlin critic was sentenced to three and a half years in a prison camp in early February.
His time in house arrest will probably be counted towards the street, so that he could spend around two and a half years in prison.
An appeal by Nawalny was denied on Saturday.
Appropriate reactions will be discussed at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, Schallenberg told WELT AM SONNTAG: “This also includes targeted measures against individuals within the framework of the newly created human rights sanctions regime.
I expect a large majority of support for this. "
Foreign ministers are likely to ask the European External Action Service (EEAS) to provide a list of persons and organizations that could be subject to entry bans and property freezes.
Schallenberg said his country was in favor of further sanctions.
“But the listings have to be politically smart and legally watertight.
Otherwise we will use it to saw on our own branch. ”In the past, people had repeatedly enforced in court to be removed from the sanctions list due to insufficient evidence.
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Schallenberg said the EU needed a two-pronged policy towards Moscow.
"Edge where necessary, dialogue where possible." However, it is not enough just to threaten sanctions.
"Russia is a reality in our neighborhood that we cannot talk away from, but which we have to face," said Austria's chief diplomat.
Relations between the EU and Russia are "clearly overshadowed" because of Moscow's dealings with Navalny.
This text is from WELT AM SONNTAG. We will be happy to deliver them to your home on a regular basis.
Source: Welt am Sonntag