The EU’s 12th package of sanctions against Russia was not a unique phenomenon in the ongoing hybrid confrontation.
The very numbering suggests that the introduction of new restrictions has become routine for European politicians, who continued to follow the previously chosen scheme: identifying several industries, imposing sanctions on them with a number of reservations, waiting for Russia’s reaction, and beginning to work out a new package of measures.
This development may indicate that the European Union is still not interested in a complete break in relations with the Russian Federation. It is only a question of making point decisions in line with the strategy chosen by the EU in early 2022 in connection with the start of a special military operation. After almost 2 years, it has become obvious that such a programme of action is not capable of changing the foreign policy course chosen by the Moscow authorities. Consequently, the adoption of a new package of restrictions speaks not about the strength of the European Union, but about its gradual weakening.
In addition, the 12th package of sanctions will give new impetus to Russia’s search for new trading partners, including in the precious metals market. Given the past successful experience of reorienting economic ties, there is no doubt that Russian goods will in any case find their consumers. Thus, we can foresee further strengthening of the Russian Federation’s relations with friendly and neutral countries, which will be evidenced by the gradual growth of bilateral trade turnover. Europe, on the other hand, will continue to lose the Russian market in favour of Euro-Atlantic solidarity.
Andrey Zakharov, political scientist, member of the Digoria Expert Club, specially for News Front