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 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 - 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

EP Mini-Plenary Session - Council and Commission statements - New allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, in the upcoming EU elections and the impact on the Union

EP Mini-Plenary Session - Commission Statement - Russia's undemocratic presidential elections and their illegitimate extension to the occupied territories

EP Plenary session  - Return of Romanian national treasure illegally appropriated by Russia

EP Plenary session - Question Time (Commission) - Preparedness of EU governments to combat foreign interference, including from Russia

EP Plenary session - Address by Yulia Navalnaya

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Yulia NAVALNAYA, Alexei NAVALNY's wife

AFET DROI joint meeting - Inhuman detention and death of Sakharov Price Laureate Alexei Navalny

Flowers lay outside the EP headquarters in Brussels, following the death of Alexei NAVALNY, 2021 Sakharov Price Laureate

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union

EP Plenary session - Recent developments at the EU’s external border between Finland and Russia and the need to uphold EU law - Council and Commission statements

EP Plenary session - Effectiveness of the EU sanctions on Russia

SEDE Workshop on the ' role of cyber in the Russian war against Ukraine '

Full-size replica of Sakharov Prize laureate Alexey Navalny’s prison cell

MEPs vote on: the crackdown on the right to education and education rights activists in Afghanistan, including the case of Matiullah Wesa; the repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Aleksey Navalny; the risk of death penalty and execution of singer Yahaya Sharif Aminu for blasphemy in Nigeria.

Voting session (part 1)

MEPs debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. In particular, on Repression in Russia in the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Aleksey Navalny. Closing statement by Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

Repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Aleksey Navalny

The International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin is debated by MEPs. The arrest warrants for President Putin and for Maria Lvova-Belova, Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of Russia, were issued on 17 March 2023. Both are suspected of the alleged war crimes of unlawfully deporting and transferring Ukrainian children from the occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. Extracts from the debate.

Children forcibly deported from Ukraine and ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin: extracts from the debate

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, gives her opening remarks on the beheaded Ukrainian prisoner. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Resumption of session and order of business: introductory remark by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on the respect of the Geneva Convention for war prisoners

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, gives her opening remarks on the safe release of the American journalist Evan Gershkovich jailed in Russia and on the worrying reports on the deteriorating health situation of the Sakharov Price winner Alexej Navalny. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Resumption of session and order of business: introductory remark by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on the safe release of the American journalist Evan Gershkovich, and on the worrying reports on the deteriorating health of Alexej Navalny

Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia. Closing statement by Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management:

The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia

MEPs look back at a year marked by Russia’s assault on Ukraine and set out what the EU must do in support of Kyiv. Russia began its full-scale military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Since then, the EU and its international allies have rallied firmly behind the Kyiv government. This support has resulted in unprecedented levels of financial aid, assistance, weapons deliveries to Ukraine, sweeping sanctions against Moscow, and the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. First part of the debate.

Key debate - One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine. MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs look back at a year marked by Russia’s assault on Ukraine and set out what the EU must do in support of Kyiv. Russia began its full-scale military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Since then, the EU and its international allies have rallied firmly behind the Kyiv government. This support has resulted in unprecedented levels of financial aid, assistance, weapons deliveries to Ukraine, sweeping sanctions against Moscow, and the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. Opening statements by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World and by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Key debate - One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine: opening statements by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission and Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission

EPRS identifies and frames some of the top key issues that might feature prominently in public debate and on the political agenda of the European Union this year. In times of crises and war, what are the challenges we must face and choices we have to make? Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Russia, quo vadis?

MEPs vote on: System of own resources of the European Union - Valérie HAYER (Renew,FR); José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Recognising the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism; EU strategy for enlargement - Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR); Situation in Libya; Promoting regional stability and security in the broader Middle East region; Prevention, management and better care of diabetes in the EU on the occasion of the World Diabetes Day.

Voting session (part 2), including the recognition of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism

MEPs vote on Specific provisions for the 2014-2020 cooperation programmes supported by the European Neighbourhood Instrument and under the European territorial cooperation goal, following programme implementation disruption - Michael GAHLER (EPP,DE), Proposal for a Decision on the non-recognition of Russian travel documents issued in occupied foreign regions, Motions for resolutions - The Rule of Law in Malta, five years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Motion for resolutions - Growing hate crimes against LGBTIQ people across Europe in light of the recent homophobic murder in Slovakia, Motions for resolutions - UN Climate Change Conference 2022 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt (COP27), Motions for resolutions - Cultural solidarity with Ukraine and a joint emergency response mechanism for cultural recovery in Europe and Motions for resolutions - The situation in Burkina Faso following the coup d’état (Debate: 04/10/2022).

Voting session

Parliament awards the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for outstanding journalism work based on the principles and values of the EU. This year, the prize rewards Carol VALDE and Clement DI ROMA, journalists and co-authers of "Centrafrique : le soft power russe", produced for ARTE/Decoupages. It shows how Russia, through soft power methods (cinema and food) but also through the Wagner society, a mercenaries secret army, spreads its influence in Central African Republic. Carol VALADE explains how difficult it was to work in that context and what it means to him to receive that prize.

Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism 2022: statement Carol VALADE, journalist and co-author of "Centrafrique : le soft power russe", laureate

Parliament awards the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for outstanding journalism work based on the principles and values of the EU. This year, the prize rewards Carol VALDE and Clement DI ROMA, journalists and co-authers of "Centrafrique : le soft power russe", produced for ARTE/Decoupages. It shows how Russia, through soft power methods (cinema and food) but also through the Wagner society, a mercenaries secret army, spreads its influence in Central African Republic. The documentary can be watched on ARTE.TV: https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/108804-000-A/

Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism 2022: extract from "Centrafrique : le soft power Russe" by Carol VALDE and Clément DI ROMA, 2022 laureates

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, strongly condemns the recent missile attacks on Kyiv and at least 10 Ukrainian cities.

Statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on the recent attacks on Kyiv and Ukrainian cities during the European week of regions and cities' s debate

On 7th October 2022, the Nobel Peace Prize committee awards the russian human rights organisation Memorial. In december 2009, the European Parliament awarded Memorial with the Sakharov Prize. This archive footages present Oleg ORLOV, Sergei KOVALEV and Lyudmila ALEXEYEVA, representatives of Russian civil rights defence organization Memorial, who have been awarded European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Infoclip: Memorial, Nobel Peace Prize 2022 and Sakharov Prize 2009

The drafting of Russian reservists, sham referendums in occupied parts of Ukraine and Putin’s nuclear threats are the focus of a key debate in the European Parliament. MEPs call on the EU and its member states to respond strongly to Russia’s escalation of the war and its preparations to annex Ukrainian territories. Extracts from the debate.

Russia’s escalation of its war of aggression against Ukraine: extracts from the debate

The drafting of Russian reservists, sham referendums in occupied parts of Ukraine and Putin’s nuclear threats are the focus of a key debate in the European Parliament. MEPs call on the EU and its member states to respond strongly to Russia’s escalation of the war and its preparations to annex Ukrainian territories. Closing statements by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional relations and by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs.

Key debate - Russia’s escalation of its war of aggression against Ukraine: closing statements by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional relations and by Mikuláš BEK, Czech Minister for European Affairs

The drafting of Russian reservists, sham referendums in occupied parts of Ukraine and Putin’s nuclear threats are the focus of a key debate in the European Parliament. MEPs call on the EU and its member states to respond strongly to Russia’s escalation of the war and its preparations to annex Ukrainian territories. MEPs debate part 3.

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