European Parliament: No More ‘Business As Usual’

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The European Parliament has overwhelmingly voted to approve a report stating that russia “can no longer be considered a ‘strategic partner’” and that “the EU cannot envisage a gradual return to ‘business as usual’ until russia fully implements the [2015] Minsk Agreement [which lays out a process for achieving peace in eastern Ukraine] and restores the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” writes rferl.org.

The report — titled On The State Of EU-russia Political Relations — is nonbinding but represents the European Parliament’s position on relations with moscow.

The document says European lawmakers are “deeply concerned about the links between the russian government and the extreme right and populist nationalist parties and governments in the EU, such as in Hungary” and calls for an “EU-wide mechanism allowing the screening of political parties’ funding,” and measures to be taken “to avoid some parties and movements being used to destabilize the European project from within.”

The report also voices concern “over the potentially hundreds of billions of euros being laundered through the EU every year by russian companies and individuals looking to legitimize the proceeds of corruption” and calls on EU member states to end “golden-visa/passport” programs.

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