Foreign Affairs
The So-Called Firm European Stance Against Russia Is Sometimes Fragile and Unsteady
A Volkskrant commentary argues that the EU's resolve against Russia is weakening, citing France's removal of oligarchs Alisjer Oesmanov and Michaïl Fridman from sanctions lists. Although French President Emmanuel Macron recently warned the political elite about Russian hybrid campaigns, his administration removed these figures to secure the release of two French citizens detained in Azerbaijan. The article notes that while individual sanctions on over 3,000 Russians remain, this move provides a symbolic victory for the Kremlin. It highlights growing inconsistencies among European leaders, including Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico, suggesting that internal divisions undermine the bloc's unified front against Moscow.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's