Borrell Hopes For United EU Response To Russia

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd February, 2021) EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday he expected member nations' foreign ministers to deliver a "united and determined" response to Russia.

The bloc's 27 top diplomats met in Brussels to take stock of the current affairs in Russia, Myanmar, Iran, Belarus and challenges to the EU.

Borrell said it was clear that Russia was "in a confrontation with the EU." He cited the arrest of opposition activist Alexey Navalny as an issue of concern.

"There is going to be an important discussion of our foreign affairs ministers about how to react to this, and I hope we will do it in a united and determined way," he said during a doorstep interview.

Borrell said this month that the EU was weighing sanctions against Russia for imprisoning Navalny on earlier embezzlement charges. EU foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano told Sputnik that sanctions were in the pipeline but their details were confidential.