The Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament has published a draft report with recommendations to the EU leadership on building relations with Russia.

The document describes five principles, based on which, according to the committee, the EU should interact with Moscow.

So, the department proposed to fight against "Russian interference" in EU affairs, counter security threats, impose sanctions, financial control and organize international investigations.

In addition, Brussels was recommended to support a “pro-democratic society” in Russia and to use the success of the Eastern Partnership program as a source of inspiration for Russians.

As follows from the report, the principle of "supporting democracy" presupposes opposition to "Russian-language propaganda."

For this, in particular, the European Union is recommended to promote the creation of a TV channel with round-the-clock broadcasting.

In addition, the committee believes that Brussels should consider the possibility of not recognizing the legitimacy of the new composition of the Russian State Duma after the elections scheduled in September.

"The EU should be ready to refuse to recognize the Russian parliament and demand the removal of Russia from international organizations with parliamentary assemblies if the parliamentary elections in Russia in 2021 are recognized as rigged," the document reads RT reads.

The authors of the report also advised to announce the benefits that Russia can receive in return for democratic reforms.

“The EU should adopt and announce a strategic vision for its future relations with a democratic Russia, including a wide range of conditions and incentives, such as: visa facilitation, free trade investment and modernization programs, and strategic partnerships;

it should also indicate a willingness to offer potential benefits in exchange for democratic transformations in Russia, ”the politicians write.

And in order to further stimulate Russians to "democratic changes", the European Parliament committee proposed to adopt a strategy to promote the successful development of the countries of the "Eastern Partnership".

Let us remind you that the Eastern Partnership program was launched by the European Union to develop closer cooperation with the countries of the former USSR.

It includes Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Belarus and Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, to "protect democracy around the world", according to the authors, the EU should unite with the United States and develop common measures.

For example, joint actions related to sanctions, uniform conditions for the provision of financial assistance, support for human rights activists.

The document also emphasizes that in accordance with the principle of "democracy first", the European Union should take into account in any dialogue or agreement with Moscow the issue of human rights observance and the holding of free elections.

At the same time, the committee recommended starting with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

“The EU and its member states should revise their projects for investment support and economic cooperation, starting with the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 project,” the ministry said.

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European politicians also pay attention to the containment of "Russian aggression".

At this point, they proposed, together with NATO and international partners, to exert pressure on Moscow so that it “does not interfere” in the affairs of the Eastern Partnership region and return “the occupied territories of the eastern neighboring states of the EU”.

If Russia continues "aggressive threats and military actions," the committee explained, the EU should be prepared to call for the country's disconnection from the international payment system SWIFT.

The European Union was also advised to prepare a clear plan to reduce dependence on Russian gas and oil, at least as long as the current leadership is in power in the Russian Federation, the politicians added. 

It is worth noting that at the end of April, the EP adopted a resolution proposing to stop the import of hydrocarbons from Russia and disconnect Moscow from SWIFT in the event of a "Russian invasion of Ukraine."

According to the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, the scenario of disconnecting the country from the international payment system is still only hypothetical, but Russia is already working on options to minimize risks and damage.

Anti-Russian sentiment

The recommendations of the EP committee indicate the intentions of a number of European leaders to continue their anti-Russian policy, said Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Research, in a conversation with RT.

“The Committee on International Affairs is the vanguard of the European bureaucracy, which is trying, including on its own behalf, to fight against Russia.

He simultaneously represents everyone and does not represent anyone.

From there, you can often hear provocative statements launched to test the reaction, ”Bruter said.  

The main principle of international law is non-interference in the affairs of other states, recalled, in turn, HSE professor Alexander Domrin.

The recommendations of the European department clearly do not correspond to him, he said.

Among other things, the political scientist was outraged by the proposal not to recognize the results of the parliamentary vote in Russia.

“Where are the legal facts on the basis of which they already assume that the elections in Russia can be rigged?

In fact, the EP speaks in advance about non-recognition of the results simply because they may not like them, ”Domrin said.

Also on russian.rt.com "We will not leave unanswered": Lavrov spoke about relations with the European Union in the light of anti-Russian sanctions

Meanwhile, the dean of the Faculty of Sociology and Political Science of the Financial University under the Russian government, political scientist Alexander Shatilov noted that the EP committee decided to once again use the topic of human rights to put pressure on Moscow.

However, it is noteworthy that the accusations against Russia sound against the background of flagrant violations in this area in the European countries themselves.

“Double standards are obvious.

Our western partners often simply turn a blind eye to their own problems.

This is a familiar accusation that the West has made since the days of the Soviet Union.

It is absolutely unfounded, legally unsupported and designed to form a certain mood of public opinion through the media, ”he commented. 

Representatives of the Russian authorities have repeatedly spoken about the unfriendly policy of the EU.

On May 6, during a press conference in Yerevan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Brussels destroyed the entire architecture of relations with Russia after the events of 2014.

“The aggressive Russophobic lobby in the EU is doing its job.

And so far the sane forces in the European Union cannot do anything about it and go with the flow.

It is sad.

This is not our choice, ”the minister said.