EU High Representative Josep Borrell has proposed that the EU’s human rights sanctions be renamed the Aleksei Navalnyi sanctions system, in honor of the late Russian opposition leader.
On Monday, foreign ministers from the EU member states convened at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. The topics of discussion included the EU’s military support for Ukraine, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the EU’s influence in the Sahel region.
During an informal breakfast meeting, the ministers, along with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossin, discussed the safety situation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
The meeting was attended by Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalnyi’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya. In Brussels, she met with foreign ministers and the president of the European Council, Charles Michelin. Navalnaya announced that she intends to continue her husband’s work and urged others to join her in the fight for Russia.
Finland was represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Elina Valtonen and political state secretary Lauri Tierala. Tierala described Navalnaya’s visit as “moving,” and emphasized the need for further action beyond words and positions.
Before the meeting, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landbergis expressed his happiness at meeting Navalnaya and called for accountability for those responsible for Navalny’s death and the implementation of new sanctions against Russia.
Joseph Borrell, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that the EU must show support for the Russian opposition. He proposed renaming the EU’s human rights sanctions as the Aleksei Navalnyi sanctions system as a way to honor Navalny’s memory.
According to Tierala, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland has invited the Russian ambassador for a discussion on Navalny’s death, and Finland’s ambassador in Moscow has laid flowers in Navalny’s memory.
The EU is currently assembling its thirteenth sanctions package against Russia, which might have been approved by the second anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.
At the meeting, Hungary disagreed with a statement on Israel. EU High Representative Borrell expressed concern over the Israeli government’s plans to start a ground operation in Rafah, which houses over a million Palestinians. Despite support from many member countries, no consensus was reached on the issue, leading to a joint statement by 26 member states, excluding Hungary.
Estonia brought up the issue of wanted notices issued by Russia, which included the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallaksen. Estonia requested the EU’s foreign affairs administration to contact Interpol and third countries, advising them not to comply with such requests from Russia.
