At the EU summit in Brussels, the EU leaders extended the anti-Russian sanctions until January 2018. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, criticized the lack of progress in the Minsk process and in the work of the Norman format. "The ceasefire is being violated constantly, therefore, there is no sufficient basis for the continuation of the political process. Due to these developments, all unanimously decided that it is necessary to extend the sanctions, " Merkel explained.
Meanwhile, there is an evidence that the European Union is coming to realize the absolute futility of the current line with regard to Moscow. Thus, a member of the French People's Front party, the historian of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France, Pier Malinovsky, argues that many Frenchmen oppose sanctions against Russia: "We do not support these sanctions. Because of Ukraine, our relations with Russia are deteriorating. The National Front is fighting for the ideas of friendliness. I have been to Ukraine several times. What happens in Ukraine is their own business.”
According to Pier Malinovsky, those who wish to go to Crimea face difficulties: "If you go to Crimea for a vacation even for a short period of time, you will have big problems. And this applies not only to politicians. Your phone is blocked immediately. When you get to Crimea, you become not available. " Malinowski sees this as a blatant injustice. "95% of Crimea’s citizens wanted to return to Russia, the referendum was conducted fairly. Marin Le Pen supports Crimea’s reunification with Russia, but the new president of France has different views, and now Paris will pursue an incorrect policy in the next few years, " the French politician said.
A Member of the Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications, Alexander Yushchenko notes: "In the information war, the one who tells truth is initially at a disadvantageous position, since he is limited by truth. But, those who operate with lies are boundless in their actions. Such tactics of the information warfare in the best traditions of Goebbels is used by the customers of the information war.’’
The MP complained that the Sejm of Poland had launched another wave of decommunization, trying to erase from their history their own citizens, fighters who laid down their lives during the war against fascism - the streets connected with the historical epoch are being renamed: "600 thousand Soviet soldiers laid their lives liberating the territory of Poland, and in particular the concentration camps, which were located on the territory of Poland. But today the Polish authorities are trying to obscure the memory of people. However, simple citizens repair monuments at their own cost. There is a wave of Russophobia and anti-Sovietism, the authorities of some countries are trying to confuse our memory, replacing it with cliches based on the Hollywood scenarios about supermen.’’
Yushchenko fears that flirting with supranationalism and multiculturalism and an intricate migration policy can lead to the destruction of the Schengen zone. "This is wrong, because the economic integration, freedom of movement, freedom of services is Europe’s achievement ... Europe today faces a challenge how to structure its policy of supranationality and apply it in the certain frames," the MP said.
