Dmitry Tymchuk, Information Resistance
March 16, 2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Source: https://www.facebook.com/dmitry.tymchuk/posts/470098746452119

A source in Brussels for Information Resistance group reports: the list of Russian Federation citizens the EU intends to impose sanctions against will be ready on March 18, 2014 (it will be published in the official periodical of the EU legislation, the so-called Official Journal). This is the second round of EU sanctions against Russia.

However, the situation is unclear with the third round of sanctions. There is a powerful discussion behind-the-scenes about the type of [sanctions] package that should eventually be exercised against Putin. Various EU countries are wavering in their positions over the discontinuation of investments in the Russian economy, minimizing their cooperation in the banking and financial sector, as well as the decisive reduction in their dependence on the Russian energy sector. The main pessimist is Germany, which has been traditionally dependent on Russian gas supplies; Italy is also unlikely to take radical measures (for the same reason).

Great Britain’s position is also weak on the issue of Russian money laundering in financial institutions and territories controlled by London.

The EU will decide on the “diplomatic approach in the energy sector” tomorrow, on March 17, 2014. The main question regarding this sector is expected to be the discussion of EU measures to limit relations with the Russian Federation in the energy sector. In particular, it will focus on further discussion of the position regarding the fulfillment of the Russian “South Stream” project [a gas pipeline to transport Russian gas to European countries], with respect to whom, further negotiations on the settlement of disputes were suspended by the European Commission today.

Also, there is the question of the fate of concessions in the activity on the European energy market, granted by the European Commission to “Gazprom” OJSC [Open Joint Stock Company] – regarding the use of the Opal pipeline to increase the delivery of gas supplies to the Czech Republic.

The EU tries to consider the “energy issue” in relation to Russia by taking into account the negative world factors for the EU: the increasing demand for energy carriers in India and China, which could have dramatic implications for the distribution of global energy streams and energy pricing.