How does the process of punishing a foreign state work?
Daniel Ferrie (DF): When we talk about sanctions, we are talking about punishing, for example, individuals, entities, companies, or different types of commercial measures: import and export bans, financing tools or even the withdrawal of banks from the SWIFT system. There is a whole range of situations that fall under the word “sanction”. First, we analyze all the data we have available as commercial data that can specify the types of goods that we could potentially target that harm the Russian military.for example, in a way that does not harm us too much. It is necessary to take this into account. Then, of course, the proposal is sent to the Member States, because the agreement has to be unanimous, so you have to guarantee that what you are thinking about is accepted by all Member States. Once that step has been taken, we will make a legislative proposal, which will then be discussed by the Member States. As we have seen over the past year with the nine different packages of sanctions against Russia, some measures pass faster than others. Apart from one time it took a month, usually after a few days or a few weeks, the member states accepted it. Once they agree to impose sanctions, the measures become part of the law and it is up to member states to immediately follow up and implement them.
How can ordinary citizens know exactly who is being punished? Where can you find the list of measures that are applied?
DF: The process is completely transparent. Of course, we don’t talk about possible sanctions before they are passed because that would give our targets an advantage and allow them to counter it. Therefore, the process is completely confidential in advance. But when it comes into law, it’s completely transparent, it’s available online. It is published in what we call the Official Gazette, so that Member States can follow immediately, so that all relevant authorities can do their job.
We know that diplomacy plays a decisive role in the mediation of conflicts. What exactly is being done in a context of war as we experience it in Europe?
Peter Stano (PS): Diplomatic support is only one of the five elements we are helping Ukraine with. As you know, the European Union provides political, financial, humanitarian and military support. Diplomatic support is political assistance. That means we are convening partner countries around the world to support Ukraine to condemn Russian aggression, to try to isolate Russia internationally. At the same time, we keep in touch with Russia, because despite the sanctions, we continue to have open communication channels to send messages to them, remind them of the instability and what they are doing and the consequences of their actions, how they are breaking international law, in the hope one day they realize that what they are doing is totally unacceptable and they need to stop. So this is the role of diplomacy: discussing and communicating with those who are part of the problem, trying to solve that problem, while supporting the victims, and mobilizing the widest possible range of support to help the country. We want to isolate Russia completely from the international community while at the same time putting pressure on its partners to convince Moscow to end the war.. By “all international partners” I mean the member states of the UN Security Council, such as China, but also countries of the G20 group and all other states with which Russia has regular contacts, so that they know and also realize how dangerous the behavior of the Kremlin is for them, because despite business and good ties with Russia, if Putin’s regime destroys the system of international rules that also protects these countries, they themselves may not be safe. The danger does not come from Russia, but from other countries that feel emboldened to use massive military force to achieve their goals that are in reality against international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We want to completely isolate Russia in the international community, while we put pressure on its partners to convince Russia to end the war.”
On the war in Ukraine, the European Union has practically spoken with one voice. There was, at least in public, no episode of relevant disagreement. Since I don’t want to do futurology, I ask: do you think it will always be like this until the end of the conflict?
PS: Well, we can’t predict the future, but we do everything we can to make that future acceptable to us. The EU has reacted strongly and with unprecedented unity to Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine. We have maintained this union for almost a year. We are more united than ever in the decisions we make and in everything we do. And we are not reducing support, we are increasing it. This aid is decided unanimously by the Member States, because everyone understands that not only the independence, sovereignty and values of Ukraine are at stake, but also the independence, sovereignty and values of Ukraine. who wants to destroy Putin. What is at stake are the values and principles on which the European Union is built and also our own security, because leaving these blatant violations of international law unpunished will encourage other outlaws in the international community to do the same. We will then be in a state of permanent threat or war.
In light of the shipment of more military equipment, we have recently seen some resistance from member states with an important role in the EU, such as Germany. Does this in any way affect European solidarity on the one hand and the image of the Union on the other? What is your opinion?
PS: Not necessary. Solidarity is a basic principle of European Union membership, it is in our DNA as something on which the European project is based. We will therefore support our members, but also candidate countries such as Ukraine. The image of the EU is another matter. In third countries there is sometimes the impression – also fueled by Russian propaganda – that the European Union has two different ways of approaching the issue of migration, for example: the way migrants from the south were treated and the way they welcomed Ukrainian refugees. Of course there are challenges. We must overcome them, because this aggression was accompanied – not from the first day of the invasion, but much earlier – with an information war against the European Union. Russia has been leading disinformation campaigns against us since at least 2014. The aim is to undermine the EU from within. They want to confuse public opinion, destroy confidence in national authorities and in the European idea. So we need to counter those efforts. We recognize that foreign interference and disinformation campaigns are a hybrid threat, and we have mapped out a strategy to deal with them. It’s called the Strategic Compass, which is nothing but the EU’s political and military self-defense doctrine, so to speak. Within the Strategic Compass, for the first time in history, the EU has effectively defined the strategic threats and challenges we face and the means we use to face them. That is why we are equipped, we have a lot of work to do, but the good thing is that we are doing it together, united, in consensus of the 27 Member States, based on solidarity with ourselves and our partners and this is what defines us. This is what makes the EU so special.
DN traveled at the invitation of the Representation of the European Commission in Portugal.
Source: DN
