Sanctions
appear remote — not least because western Europe depends on Russia`s
energy supplies. But the 27 European leaders are expected to offer more
humanitarian, economic and moral support for Georgia and signal that
normal relations with Moscow are impossible with Russian troops
violating a cease-fire agreement.
French and Belgian officials
also have said that EU leaders may name a special envoy to Georgia to
ensure that the cease-fire is observed. They said the EU might send a
high official — perhaps French President Nicolas Sarkozy — on a shuttle
mission to the region.
"Russia`s commitment to a relationship of
understanding and cooperation with the rest of Europe is in doubt,"
Sarkozy, who is chairing the summit, wrote in a pre-summit letter to
the EU leaders.
"It`s up to Russia today to make a fundamental
choice" and to engage neighbors and partners in settling disputes
peacefully, Sarkozy wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained
by The Associated Press.
Sarkozy, whose country now holds the EU
presidency, wrote that the leaders must "seriously examine relations
between the European Union and Russia," adding that he counted on a
"clear and united message."
Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili said the EU summit was a sign of a strong global support
for Georgia. "Russia today has found itself more isolated than the
Soviet Union ever was," he said in a televised statement.
On
Sunday, Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze asked the EU and the
U.S. to impose sanctions on companies and individuals doing business in
its breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia without its
permission.
"What we are calling for is ... sanctions addressing
those individuals, business and officials who by their actions, current
or future, seek to somehow continue to violate our territorial
integrity," he said in an interview with the AP.
Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin, speaking to Russian television Sunday, cautioned
European nations against sharing the tough U.S. policy on Russia and
"serving someone else`s political interests." Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev said that Russia may consider economic sanctions against
unfriendly nations, but would like to avoid it.
Georgian forces
attacked South Ossetia on Aug. 7, hoping to retake the province that
has had de-facto independence since the early 1990s. Russian forces
repelled the offensive and pushed into Georgia. Sarkozy crafted a
cease-fire deal in mid-August, but Russia has ignored its requirement
for all forces to return to prewar positions.
Russia claims the cease-fire accord lets it run checkpoints in security zones of up to 4 miles in Georgian territory.
Sarkozy
said that the EU must insist Russian troops leave Georgia and be ready
"to assume a presence on the ground in support of all efforts toward a
peaceful and lasting solution to conflicts in Georgia." He did not
elaborate.
Russia has faced isolation over its offensive in
Georgia and stands alone in its recognition of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. The U.S. and Europe have closed ranks in condemning Russia`s
actions but are struggling to find an effective response.
Possible
EU actions against Russia include a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics
in Sochi, holding off on talks for a broader economic partnership with
Moscow, adding to the $18 million in humanitarian aid to repair
Georgia`s infrastructure, and contributing to the peace monitoring
mission the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
operates there.
Sanctions, though, appear unlikely. France`s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, said as much on Friday.
Russia
supplies the EU with a third of its oil and 40 percent of its natural
gas — a dependence the European Commission says will rise significantly
in the future.
The European Commission has argued that while the
EU needs Russia for oil and gas, Moscow also needs EU capital and
expertise to develop new energy fields. Russia has vast gas and oil
deposits, but output is not growing much because of aging pipelines and
monopolistic policies.
Russia`s economy has already been
affected. After the war, investors began leaving Russia and stock
markets plunged. Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said last week
that more than $7 billion was pulled out of the country in just two
days, exposing the fragility of Russia`s nine-year economic boom.
Meanwhile, there have been divisions within the EU about how the bloc should respond.
Germany
relies on Russia for 34 percent of its oil imports and 36 percent of
its natural gas consumption. Slovakia, Finland and Bulgaria depend on
Russia for over 90 percent of the gas that heats homes, cooks meals and
powers factories.
Poland and other eastern EU members are among
the most dependent on Russian energy but with fresh memories of Soviet
domination, their leaders have been pushing for a tough European stance.
They
are joined by Britain, whose own oil and gas reserves make it less
reliant on Russia. Britain has suggested Russia be expelled from the
Group of Eight nations.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote
in an article in The Observer newspaper on Sunday that European
countries must adopt a united energy policy to avoid becoming too
dependent on Russia.
Putin said Sunday that Russia will diversify
its energy exports and expand sales to booming Asian markets. He said,
however, that Russia`s plans to expand energy exports to Asia doesn`t
mean that it would cut supplies to European markets.
On Saturday,
German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to tone down Polish anger at
Moscow. Polish President Lech Kaczynski and Merkel agreed on the need
for a humanitarian mission to Georgia.
Poland wants the EU to
signal support for Ukraine to offset Russian ambitions to restore its
influence there, too. Ukraine wants to join the EU — a prospect EU
governments have rejected to date — and hopes for free-trade and
visa-free travel deals with the bloc soon.
