Russia’s tactics in Ukraine, and in Mariupol especially, drew harsh criticism from the European Union’s top diplomat, who said the world must recognize the actions as war crimes.
Upon arriving at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, opened his “very long day” with a forceful denunciation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
“Russia is really committing a lot of war crimes. That is the word. We have to say it,” Borrell said. “What is happening in Mariupol is a massive war crime. [They are] destroying everything, bombarding and killing everybody in an indiscriminate manner.”
Despite the strong language, Borrell hedged on whether the EU was prepared to continue to stiffen sanctions on Russia.
When reporters asked Borrell whether energy sanctions would include an oil embargo, Borrell said the defense ministers would “discuss about that.”
EU HAS ENOUGH GAS TO SURVIVE THROUGH SUMMER WITHOUT RUSSIAN SUPPLIES
An oil embargo could hamstring the EU, which gets one-quarter of its crude oil from Russia and which imported $108 billion worth of energy from Russia in 2021, according to the World Economic Forum.
Even outside of energy, Russia and the EU are major trading partners. Russia is the EU’s fifth-largest trading partner for exports and its third-largest for imports. Over the past decade, trade between the EU and Russia has moved away from energy — the EU imported $173 billion worth of energy from Russia in 2012 — but energy imports still account for 62% of their relationship.
EU and U.S. sanctions have crippled Russia’s economy. The Russian ruble has fallen in value to less than a penny, and Russia has been locked out of international banking systems as well as trade.
Oil and gas remain one area that Europe has been hesitant to commit to sanctioning in the short term. European leaders plan to curb their energy imports from Russia by the end of the year.
After Monday’s statements, there is a possibility Russia will make the decision for the EU. Germany has urged the EU to hold off on leveling new sanctions as gas prices rise out of concern Putin will turn off the taps to Europe in light of being accused of war crimes.
In the event Russia decides to stop shipping energy to Europe, the EU will have enough gas to weather the summer, a new report from WoodMackenzie said.
While Borrell stepped up his rhetoric on Monday, the International Criminal Court, which is conducting an investigation into whether Russia has committed war crimes, is the arbiter of charges. However, Russia, like the United States, doesn’t recognize the ICC’s authority.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Regardless of the ICC’s investigation, Borrell said the International Court of Justice has already condemned Russia’s investigation and reiterated that wars have laws while slamming Russia’s actions as “not a war.”
“Morally, they have lost any kind of ground because what they are doing is completely out of any kind of laws that rule the war,” he said. “It is not a war. It is a destruction of people who are suffering incredibly, and Russia, Putin, deserves the strongest condemnation of the civilized world.”
