Migration crisis: Josep Borrell announces new sanctions against Belarus

“All those who participate in the trafficking of migrants to this country” will be targeted, Monday, including airlines or travel agencies, unveils the leader of the European diplomacy in an interview at the “JDD”.

Le Monde

The head of the European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, announcement, in an interview with the Journal du Sunday (JDD) dated November 14, that new sanctions will be taken on Monday in Brussels against Belarus, accused of instrumentalizing the issue of migrants.

At the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) to be held in the Belgian capital, “we will give the green light to an expansion of the legal framework of our sanctions against Belarus for can apply it to all those who participate in the trafficking of migrants to this country, for example airlines or travel agencies involved, by banning their leaders to travel and gelling their assets in Europe “, unveils the high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

“But that will not prevent us from sanctioning on Monday, in the context already in force and for the fifth time, about thirty leaders of the administration of Lukashenko who are involved in this crisis,” he adds .

“[President Belarusian Alexander] Loukachenko was wrong,” says Josep Borrell, “he believed that by fighting in this way he was going to twist our arm and cancel the sanctions. It’s all the opposite that product. We reinforce them by specifically aiming for those who cooperate with him. “

No” European Army “

Asked about the relations between the European Union and Russia, the leader of the diplomacy claimed wanting to “continue to speak with Russian leaders” because “Russia is not going to move, she remains our big neighbor” and ” A global partner “. However, “Let’s stop being hypocritical, launches Josep Borrell. Obviously there is a Russian threat, otherwise we would not have troops deployed in the Baltic countries.” The High Representative of the European Union introduced to the twenty-seven “strategic compass”, supposed to “protect Europe from all threats”. “The EU must (…) be an institution that protects us”, is it pleading. “Europe is in danger and the Europeans do not realize it,” he assists.

However, the leader of the EU diplomacy does not believe in the concept of “European Army” mentioned by the French President Emmanuel Macron. “The French love to talk about European army, but that’s not what will be created,” Borrell replied, as she was asked how and with what means the twenty-seven could defend himself.

For him, the solution involves better coordination of national armies. “If we add up the capacities of all European countries, it represents four times the military power of Russia and the equivalent of that of China in budgetary terms, is we valid. The problem is that we spend these Defense budgets in a way too fragmented, with too many duplications. “

/Media reports.