EU Leaders Spar Over Russia Sanctions as Renzi Pushes Back
- Summit conclusions say “all available options” on the table
- Renzi says he doesn’t see further sanctions for Russians
Members of the Syrian Civil Defence, known as the White Helmets, search for victims amid the rubble of a destroyed building following reported air strikes in the rebel-held Qatarji neighbourhood of the northern city of Aleppo, on October 17, 2016. Dozens of civilians were killed as air strikes hammered rebel-held parts of Aleppo early morning, despite Western warnings of potential sanctions against Syria and Russia over attacks on the city. Both Russian and Syrian warplanes are carrying out air strikes over Aleppo in support of a major offensive by regime forces to capture rebel-held parts of the northern city. / AFP / KARAM AL-MASRI (Photo credit should read KARAM AL-MASRI/AFP/Getty Images)
Photographer: Karam Al-Masri/AFP via Getty ImagesThe European Union said it was too soon to consider imposing sanctions on Russia for the bombing of rebel-held areas of Syria, while maintaining the threat of action if Vladimir Putin doesn’t back down.
After two days of talks in Brussels, EU leaders said “all available options” remain on the table, without mentioning sanctions specifically, after they clashed over using more pointed language on Thursday. While the U.K., France and Germany wanted to take a harsher tone with Russia, Italy’s Matteo Renzi led those countries who opposed the move.