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

Meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Strategic military situation in the Black Sea Basin following the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in the EP in Brussels. Vote and statement by Ioan Mircea PAȘCU (S&D,RO), rapporteur

Strategic military situation in the Black Sea Basin following the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia: extracts from the vote and statement by Ioan Mircea PAȘCU (S&D,RO), rapporteur

Meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in Strasbourg on the state of EU-Russia relations. Exchange of views with&nbsp;Alexey PUSHKOV, Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, welcomed by&nbsp;Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Chair of the AFET EP Committee, Statements by&nbsp;Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO) and&nbsp;Richard Stuart HOWITT (S&amp;D, UK).

State of EU-Russia relations: extracts from the exchange of views with Alexey PUSHKOV, Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation - Committee on Foreign Affairs

Extracts from the debates during the plenary session of January in Strasbourg on the cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of la around the world. Statements by Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Ana GOMES (S&amp;D, PT), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Sajjad KARIM (ECR, UK), Afzal KHAN (S&amp;D, UK) and Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT)

Cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law: extracts from the debates

Jerzy BUZEK, EP President, opens the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, speaking about toxic spill in Hungary and the 4th anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya's assassination.

Toxic spill in Hungary and 4th anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya's assassination: extracts from the opening remarks by Jerzy BUZEK, EP President

Jerzy BUZEK, EP President, meets Members of the Sub-committee on Human Rights (DROI) to discuss his recent visits to China and Russia and other aspects of Parliament's activities in the field of Human Rights, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Human Rights: statement Jerzy BUZEK, EP President

On the occasion of his official visit to Russia, Jerzy BUZEK, EP President meets with Boris GRYSLOV, Speaker of the Duma and Sergei MIRONOV, Speaker of the Federation Council, and speaks to the press, in Moscow.

Official visit of Jerzy BUZEK, EP President to Russia: meeting with Boris GRYSLOV, Speaker of the Duma and Sergei MIRONOV, Speaker of the Federation Council, and press conference

On the occasion of his official visit to Russia, Jerzy BUZEK, EP President meets with Dimitry MEDVEDEV, President of the Russian Federation, in Moscow.

Official visit of Jerzy BUZEK, EP President to Russia: meeting with Dimitry MEDVEDEV, President of the Russian Federation

During the plenary session (14-17 June 2010) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs discuss the outcome of the EU-Russia summit in 2010 with Catherine ASHTON, High Representative of the EU.

Conclusions of the EU-Russia summit in 2010 (31 May - 1 June): extracts from the debate

This infoclip presents 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, Sakharov Prize 2009

The European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to Russian civil rights defence organization Memorial, and their three representatives Oleg Orlov, Sergei Kovalev and Lyudmila Alexeyeva, as well as all other human rights defenders in Russia. This infoclip contains the interview by Mr Oleg Orlov.

Infoclip: Memorial, Sakharov Prize Winner 2009

Anna POLITKOVSKAÏA, Russian journalist, was shot in her Moscow apartment block by unknown assailants on 7 October. The Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) organised an exchange of views on the human rights situation in Russia.

Tribute to Anna POLITKOVSKAÏA: exchange of views on the human rights situation in Russia

The European Parliament, meeting in Plenary session in Brussels, discussed relations with Russia after the assassination of the campaigning Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya and to pay homage to her. She was shot in her Moscow apartment block by unknown assailants on 7 October. MEps voted on a resolution on relations between the EU and Russia after her assassination.

EU - Russia: vote on the resolution on relations between the EU and Russia after the assassination of Anna POLITKOVSKAÏA, Russian journalist

MEPs observed a minute's silence in honour of Anna POLITKOVSKAÏA and other assassinated journalists.

Minute of silence in honour of Anna POLITKOVSKAÏA: statements by Josep BORRELL, President of the EP, Paula LEHTOMÄKI, Finnish Presidency and Jose Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC

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