As the West weighs further sanctions towards Russia, accused of supporting the pro Russian separatist who allegedly shot down flight MH 17 in Eastern Ukraine, Adevărul explains why tougher sanctions will most probably hurt the EU’s economy.
According to the Romainian daily, Europe and Russia are bound by bilateral trade ties worth billions of euro. Notably, 30 per cent of the natural gas burned in the EU comes from Russia, and Russians love German cars and Italian suits. Moreover, Western investments in Russia are perceived as a guarantee against tougher sanctions.
The US recently stated that Russia will have to pay the price of continuing to support Ukrainian separatists and destabilising its neighbor. But, as Adevărul recalls —
the discussions on new sanctions show that Brussels and Washington are unable to build up a common front against Moscow, in particular because of the different positions within the EU.
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