In an unprecedented and unanimous reaction to Russia's war on Ukraine that began on 24 February 2022, the EU swiftly decided to make available €500 million from the European Peace Facility – followed soon after by additional financing – to fund EU military assistance and to deliver military equipment to Ukraine. For the first time in its history, the EU is now using a dedicated, although off-budget, tool to finance – but not to deliver, with that responsibility falling on Member States alone – lethal military equipment to a third country. This is a further update of a publication, the previous edition of which was released on 30 March 2022. UPDATE: Since the recording of this podcast, the EU has agreed to mobilise additional financing of military assistance to Ukraine amounting to €2 billion currently.

EPRS policy podcast - Russia's war on Ukraine: The EU's financing of military assistance to Ukraine

The war on Ukraine is the latest manifestation of Russia's revisionist policy over the past decade. Russia has increasingly been using hybrid warfare tactics to assert its international position and gain 'strategic leverage'. Russia has used both non-conventional and conventional warfare tactics in conflicts in the EU's neighbourhood, in particular in Syria, Libya, Africa and in Ukraine. Prior to the ongoing war, Russia seized and illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and carried on a war in Donbass, recognising unilaterally, a couple of days before the invasion of Ukraine, the independence of the self-proclaimed independent republics of Luhansk and Donetsk. In this podcast, we’ll analyse the impact of Russia’s expansionism on the EU and different scenarios on Russia’s possible behaviour in the next years, up to 2030. #FutureShocks2022

EPRS policy podcast - Future shocks: Russia's brutal expansionism

Following the post-Cold War reset, EU-Russia relations have been strained, not least by Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, to which the EU responded with hard-hitting sanctions. Putin’s support for rebel groups in eastern Ukraine, his policies in the neighbourhood, disinformation campaigns and Russia’s intervention in Syria just added fuel to the fire... And yet, the two remain closely interdependent… So, how to deal with Putin’s Russia?

EPRS policy podcast - The EU and Russia: Locked into confrontation

EU-Russia relations have been strained since 2014 because of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, support for rebel groups in eastern Ukraine, policies in the neighbourhood, disinformation campaigns and negative internal developments.

Russia has adopted assertive international positions and tensions have worsened over Russian intervention in Syria. The EU has regularly renewed sanctions against Russia since 2014. The EU and Russia remain closely interdependent and the EU applies a ‘selective engagement’ approach.

EU - Russia - 8th parliamentary term

EU-Russia relations have been strained since 2014 because of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, support for rebel groups in eastern Ukraine, policies in the neighbourhood, disinformation campaigns and negative internal developments. Tensions have also grown over Russian intervention in Syria. The EU has regularly renewed sanctions against Russia since 2014. The EU and Russia remain closely interdependent and the EU applies a ‘selective engagement’ approach.

EU - Russia (2019-2020)

EU-Russia relations have become increasingly strained over the past decade, not least because of the country's 2014 annexation of Crimea, the Kremlin’s support for separatists in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s military intervention in Syria. Another source of tension is Russia’s disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks, as well as attempts to interfere in Western democratic processes and the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, EU economic sanctions target Russia’s financial, defence and energy sectors. Russia has responded with counter-sanctions.&nbsp;

The European Parliament (April plenary session) confirmed concern about Russian military posturing close to the country’s border with Ukraine as well as in illegally occupied Crimea. The EP resolution also deplored the revelation that Russian intelligence services set off the explosion of an arms depot in Vrbětice, Czechia, in 2014, in which two Czech citizens were killed. Parliament also reiterated its call for the immediate and unconditional release of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

On 30 April Russia barred eight officials from European Union countries from entering the country in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russian citizens by the EU. Russia's foreign ministry said those banned included Vera Jourova, vice president for values and transparency at the executive European Commission and David Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament. Presidents of the European Council, Commission and Parliament condemned in a joint statement the imposition of restrictive measures targeting the EU by Russia as unacceptable and groundless.

During September&nbsp;vote in plenary Parliament said that&nbsp;the EU must push back against aggressive policies while laying the groundwork for cooperation with a future democratic Russia.&nbsp;Assessing the state of EU-Russia relations, the European Parliament made&nbsp;clear that it distinguishes between the Russian people and President Vladimir Putin’s regime.&nbsp;

EU - Russia

MEPs examine the Kremlin’s continued repression of Russia’s political opposition a year after the murder of Alexei Navalny. Mr Navalny, one of Russia’s most well-known anti-corruption activists, an opposition politician, and an ardent critic of Vladimir Putin, died under mysterious circumstances in a remote penal colony in the Russian Arctic on 16 February 2024, while serving a long prison sentence on trumped-up charges. After his death, the European Parliament adopted a resolution holding the Russian state, and President Putin in particular, responsible for his death.

Debate on the one year after the murder of Alexei Navalny and the continued repression of the democratic opposition in Russia

Plenary preparations. Political groups will prepare for the 10 - 13 February plenary session in which MEPs will debate the EU’s continued support for Ukraine after three years of Russia’s war of aggression, providing support to EU regions that border Russia, as well as the continued repression of the democratic opposition in Russia one year after the murder of Alexei Navalny. Plenary will also vote on a resolution on the further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia, debate the Commission work programme for 2025, the recent proposals to boost the EU’s competitiveness, the consequences of the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and from the World Health Organisation, as well as the threats that strategic reliance on third countries in communication infrastructure pose to EU sovereignty.

Pre-session briefing

MEPs and EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas debate Russia’s manipulation of history and use of false narratives to justify its war in Ukraine.

The debate is likely to focus on Russian historical disinformation narratives to discredit and undermine international support for Ukraine, efforts which are intended to hurt Ukrainian independence and sovereignty.

Debate on Russian disinformation on Ukraine

MEPs reaffirm their strong support for Ukraine and criticise the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, in a resolution.

When addressing the European Parliament on Tuesday 19 November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “Putin has brought 11,000 North Korean troops to Ukraine’s border” (...) and that “the contingent may grow to 100,0000”. Many of these troops have recently been reported as having been deployed as part of Russia’s airborne units and marines in the Kursk region, another growing sign of the increasing military cooperation between the regimes in Moscow and Pyongyang.

A statement issued by Parliament’s leaders on 19 November 2024 called on the EU to “step up support for Ukraine in every way, including politically, financially, militarily and with humanitarian aid” and reiterated that “we stand with and support Ukraine in every possible way until its victory.”

Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia

MEPs debate the consequences of the undemocratic presidential elections in Russia on 18 March, including their illegitimate extension to the occupied Ukrainian territories.

Plenary Debate - Russia´s undemocratic presidential elections

Parliament commemorates the life of Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, featuring a plenary address by his wife Yulia Navalnaya.

Alexei Navalny, one of Russia’s most well-known anti-corruption activists, an opposition politician, 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate and an ardent critic of President Vladimir Putin, died under mysterious circumstances in a remote penal colony in the Russian Arctic on Friday 16 February, while serving a long prison sentence on trumped-up charges.

Plenary debate - Address by Yulia Navalnaya

EP Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (D-RU) exchange views on the inhuman detention and death of Alexei NAVALNY, 2021 Sakharov Price Laureate.

MEPs also discuss the state of Russia’s democratic opposition movement ahead of the country’s presidential elections scheduled for 15-17 March 2024, as well as the situation of all those Russian opposition voices currently behind bars.

The following guests give testimonies to MEPs: Leonid Volkov, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, Anti-Corruption Foundation: Evgenia Kara-Murza, Advocacy Director at the Free Russia Foundation, wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza: Vladimir Milov, Vice-President of the Free Russia Foundation, former Vice-Minister of Energy of Russia

AFET/DROI debate on Alexei Navalny´s death

EP Plenary session - Frozen Russian assets

EP Plenary session - Need for targeted support to EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

EP Plenary session -  One year after the murder of Alexei Navalny and the continued repression of the democratic opposition in Russia

EP Plenary session - Need to detect and to counter sabotage by the Russian shadow fleet, damaging critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea

EP Plenary session - Russia’s disinformation and historical falsification to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia

Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Constitutive meeting

MEPs call on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and accelerate the phase-out of Moscow’s energy. In the second debate with representatives of the European Commission, MEPs are set to call on the EU to accelerate the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities. Closing statements by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing. Closing statements by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing

Accelerating the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities in the EU: closing statements by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing

MEPs call on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and accelerate the phase-out of Moscow’s energy. In the second debate with representatives of the European Commission, MEPs are set to call on the EU to accelerate the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities.

Accelerating the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities in the EU: MEPs debate

MEPs call on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and accelerate the phase-out of Moscow’s energy. In the second debate with representatives of the European Commission, MEPs are set to call on the EU to accelerate the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities. Opening statement by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Accelerating the phase-out of Russian gas and other Russian energy commodities in the EU: Opening statement by Dan JØRGENSEN, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing

MEPs call on the EU to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and accelerate the phase-out of Moscow’s energy. During the first debate with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission MEPs are set to renew their calls to move from freezing Russian assets to seizing them and using them to support and rebuild war-torn Ukraine. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU, the U.S. and its allies froze over 300 billion U.S. dollars in Russian sovereign assets, with roughly 200 billion dollars held in the Belgium-based securities depository Euroclear. In July 2024, the EU made available the first €1.5 billion transfer of interest generated from immobilised Russian assets to support Kyiv, which was channelled through the European Peace Facility and to the Ukraine Facility to support Ukraine's military and reconstruction efforts.

Russian frozen assets: closing statements by Christophe HANSEN, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food

Russian frozen assets: MEPs debate (part 2)

Russian frozen assets: MEPs debate (part 1)

Russian frozen assets: Opening statements by Christophe HANSEN, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food

The European Parliament debates the need for targeted support for EU regions bordering Russia with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission. MEPs bring up Russian efforts to damage infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, and the need to detect and counter these acts of sabotage.

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