E.U. Threatens Trade Bar as Russia Crisis Deepens

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union is threatening to block Russian membership of global free trade agreements unless President Putin pledges to “de-escalate” a deepening crisis between Moscow and its neighbors.

Secret E.U. documents show that patience in Europe is running out with Russia amid spiraling trade disputes and attacks this week on Estonian diplomats in Moscow.

NATO joined the E.U. Thursday in registering a formal diplomatic protest over Russia’s failure to protect Estonian embassy staff from marauding demonstrators with close political links to Mr. Putin.

Estonia and Russia are at each other’s throats over violent protests following the relocation of a Soviet war memorial in Tallinn, the Baltic state’s capital.

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, has fanned the flames by saying that moving the Red Army monument had “led to seriously negative consequences for Russian-Estonian relations.”

The row has been escalated by a Russian rail blockade of oil and coal exports to Estonia, a development that will harden E.U. resolve to take a tough line on Moscow’s ambition to membership of the World Trade Organization.

The showdown will take place at an E.U.-Russia summit in the Russian city of Samara on May 18 and European diplomats are ready to read the riot act to Mr. Putin over a growing number of disputes.

These include cuts to Lithuania’s oil supply, dual pricing for international and domestic rail cargo, export duties on wood, and a ban on Polish meat imports.

WTO membership is key to Russia’s full participation in the international economy and to securing lucrative, investment-friendly trade deals with the E.U. and America. A bullet point on a secret negotiating memo seen by the Brussels newspaper European Voice says: “Make clear that E.U. is ready to support early conclusion of Russia’s WTO accession but not at any price and bilateral problems or disregard for existing commitments will be major impediments.


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use