The European Conservatives and Reformists Party joins calls for fresh and tough new sanctions on the Putin s Regime in Russia. The violent suppression and arrest of protestors during this weekend’s protests once again shows the true authoritarian nature of the current Russian government, which is facing its lowest support from society. The latest oppressions against the Russian people are signs of growing weakness and fear for the results of upcoming parliamentary election.

The protests over the weekend were I direct result of the arrest of Opposition politician Alexi Navalny at Moscow Airport on the night of the 17th of January. He was returning to Russia after undergoing treatment as a result of an attempted Novichok poisoning, carried out by Russian security agents.

The ECR Party calls for new sanctions to be put in place against the Russian regime as a direct response to these acts of violence, including using new Magnitsky Powers and putting an end to the Nord Stream II pipeline. We call on the Russian people to oppose not only Putin’s criminal, oppressive and corrupted system but also its aggressive actions abroad

ECR Party Secretary General Anna Fotyga MEP said: “The protests which erupted across the country on Saturday were a clear sign that the Russian people have had enough of the Putin regime and desire a change of direction for the country. The European Union must finally take a hard line against the Putin regime and introduce new tougher sanctions, including Magnitsky measures against key Kremlin officials, and put a final stop to Nord Stream2 – which deepens energy dependence on Russia.”