All news

Russian diplomat dubs as ‘catastrophic stupidity’ EU anti-Russian sanctions amid pandemic

On March 13, the European Union officially prolonged for half-a-year individual sanctions against Russian nationals that were expiring on March 15

MOSCOW, March 19./TASS/. EU’s extending individual sanctions against Russian nationals against the background of the spreading coronavirus is ‘catastrophic stupidity’, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman told a briefing on Thursday.

"The world is trying to stay afloat and join efforts, find points of coincidence, understanding the consequences of what is going on now," she stressed. "Additional restrictions, that will surely bring no benefits whatsoever for citizens of the European Union, are simply catastrophic stupidity," she stressed.

"Do you understand what is going on at the moment in global politics, do you realize that today all reasonable political forces, experts, the society of political analysts are dealing with the main aim - looking for a suitable and efficient way out of the existing situation? Why passing the decisions that will tie your hands in the future in the settlement of your own issues and problems?" the diplomat asked European colleagues.

On March 13, the European Union officially prolonged for half-a-year individual sanctions against Russian nationals that were expiring on March 15.

Several packages of EU sanctions against Russia are in place at the moment - economic, individual and restrictions over Crimea. The latter is a set of targeted sanctions against Crimea, with which European business is not allowed to maintain any ties.

The Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, a city with a special status on the Crimean Peninsula, where most residents are Russians, refused to recognize the legitimacy of authorities brought to power amid riots during a coup in Ukraine in February 2014.

Crimea and Sevastopol adopted declarations of independence on March 11, 2014. They held a referendum on March 16, 2014, in which 96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol voters chose to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the reunification treaties on March 18, 2014. The documents were ratified by Russia’s Federal Assembly, or bicameral parliament, on March 21.

Despite the absolutely convincing results of the referendum, Ukraine and a number of Western nations have been refusing to recognize Crimea as a part of Russia.