Poland occurs as the EU Council Presidency: Do sanctions attract Russia?

Poland occurs as the EU Council Presidency: Do sanctions attract Russia?

Brüssel, Belgien - Brussels-There is currently a potential change in the EU policies against Russia. Hungary, previously the main alleged Russia within the European Union, will be given the chair of the EU Council to Poland from 2025. This could possibly have a significant impact on attitudes towards Russia and its economy. Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, had repeatedly spoken out against EU sanctions in the past and tried to support the Russian economy, especially by importing Russian gas.

The change that begins on July 1, 2024 could be of great importance for the EU policy towards Russia. Poland, which will take over the chair, has already announced that it would take a harder line towards Russia. This is done at a time when the EU continues to be faced with challenges in relation to sanctions against Russia. Krzysztof Bolesta, Poland's Minister of Climate, recently noted that the increasing imports of Russian energy are a "bad sign" and measures are necessary.

sanctions against Russia's oil and gas purchases

Within the EU Council, Poland will play a central role in how the sanctions against Russia can be expanded or adapted. The Ukrainian government is optimistic about the Polish Presidency and hopes to revive the sanction talks in order to implement tougher measures against Russia. "We put great hopes in the Polish Presidency," said the Ukrainian sanction commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk.

Poland takes course on stricter measures

Poland's future role could result in a turn in EU policy, especially with regard to the discussion about EU sanctions against Russian liquid gas (LNG). These sanctions are becoming more important because the current regulations are classified as not effective enough. Observers find that there are considerable gaps in the existing sanction mechanisms that enable Russia to sometimes act unhindered.

Maria Shagina, a specialist in business and sanctions at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, emphasizes that the possibility of tightening the LNG sanctions is on the table. "Except for LNG, there are only a few large sanctions left that could be targeted," said Shagina. The development remains exciting overall, since from January 2025 windows for new approaches in EU policy towards Russia could open up.

With these changes, the geopolitical balance and the economic interests of the EU could also be redesigned in relation to Russia. The coming months will be decisive for whether Poland will be able to effectively represent the interests of the EU and possibly initiate a sharp change of course. It is suspicious of how much the EU strategy for Russia has so far been turned with the Hungarian mandate under Orbán.

More information about the background of this development and its effects can be found in a detailed report on www.fr.de .