President of the European Council Charles Michel has ordered that no mobile phones, tablets or other electronic devices were allowed into the room during Monday’s EU summit in Brussels on Belarus and Russia
“To ensure the confidentiality of the discussion on Belarus and Russia at the European Council, the president of the Council requested that the discussion be held without electronic devices”, – said Barend Leitz, a spokesman for Michel.
At this “strategic debate,” EU leaders instructed the head of community diplomacy, Josep Borrel, to prepare a report on relations with Russia for the June summit.
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she did not see any positive developments in Russia’s actions towards the EU.
In the current situation, she said, the EU favoured “selective cooperation with Russia”. Ursula von der Leyen added that the Russian authorities are not ready to cooperate with the EU in a “constructive mode”.
She also expressed doubt that cooperation between Moscow and Brussels in the energy sector, including the Nord Stream 2 project, would help modernise Russia.