ESN MEP and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) Alexander Sell stated:
“The additional sanctions adopted yesterday under the so-called response to ‘Russian hybrid threats’ mark another low point in European politics. What is presented under the guise of security turns out, on closer inspection, to be a politically motivated expansion of a sanctions regime that increasingly undermines the rule of law and at the same time systematically makes any serious peace process and political rapprochement impossible.”
ESN MEP and member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Mary Khan continued:
“That not only state actors, but now also analysts, academics, former military personnel, and influencers are being placed on sanctions lists is highly alarming. The EU is thereby leaving the ground of a pluralistic order and embarking on a dangerous path of ideological politics. Anyone who deviates from the official narrative on Ukraine, NATO, or the EU’s foreign policy is increasingly exposed to the risk of political stigmatization and existential economic consequences.
Particularly problematic is the deliberately vague and politically elastic definition of ‘disinformation’ and ‘destabilizing narratives.’ These terms have long since become political battle slogans, used to delegitimize unwelcome positions and systematically silence critical voices.”
In conclusion, Sell said:
“Instead of focusing on de-escalation, diplomacy, and an independent foreign policy oriented toward European interests, the EU is further sharpening its logic of confrontation. In doing so, it not only risks foreign-policy escalation, but also deepens the alienation of large parts of the European population from the Union’s institutions.”
