Slovak MEP Judita Lassakova: EU Sanctions Against Russia Harm Own Citizens

Residents of EU countries will ultimately suffer from the bloc’s decision to cut economic relations with Russia, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing Slovakia, Judita Lassakova, has said.

She spoke to the news agency TASS during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) last week; the interview was published by the agency on Friday.

“This will not end well,” she said about the sweeping economic restrictions imposed by Brussels on Moscow since the escalation of the Ukraine in February 2022.

“We live on the same planet, and by erecting walls and borders, we only distance ourselves from each other and destroy the last remaining channels of communication. And all this will lead to situations that will ultimately harm ordinary citizens, the people,” the MEP warned.

Despite the refusal to purchase energy from Russia straining the EU’s economy, Brussels announced its 21st sanctions package against the country earlier this week.

Lassakova recalled a saying that “politicians must make the right and sensible decisions because they’ve already made all of the stupid ones.”

“Of course, it’s high time to start listening to common sense” when it comes to dealing with Russia, she stressed, singling out Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico as “one of those sensible voices” in the EU.

After returning to power in 2023, Fico stopped Bratislava’s military supplies to Kiev and consistently called for the removal of sanctions targeting Russia and restoration of ties between Brussels and Moscow. He was the only EU leader to attend this year’s Victory Day parade on Red Square on May 9.

Officials in Moscow have repeatedly decried the EU’s restrictions as an illegal attempt to contain Russia’s long-term development.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said recently that although the sanctions have had some “negative impact” on the Russian economy, the country has “gained significant experience in minimizing their effects.”

Peskov has also noted that the restrictions are a double-edged sword, causing damage not only to those they target but also to those who impose them, and contributing to economic stagnation in Europe.