EU governments have agreed to restrict the movement of Russian diplomats within the bloc in response to a surge in sabotage attempts that intelligence agencies say are often led by spies operating under diplomatic cover.
This was reported by the Financial Times, citing sources.
Moscow-sponsored intelligence agents are blamed for a surge in provocations against NATO countries, from arson and cyberattacks to infrastructure sabotage and drone incursions, in what the EU sees as a coordinated campaign to destabilize Ukraine’s European allies.
According to European intelligence agencies, Russian spies under the cover of diplomats often conduct operations outside the country where they officially work in order to more easily evade counterintelligence surveillance.
Under the proposed rules, Russian diplomats working in EU capitals would be required to notify other governments of their travel plans before crossing the border of the country where they are accredited.
The initiative, which is being pushed by the Czech Republic, is part of a new sanctions package. The package requires unanimous support to pass. Hungary, which had previously blocked the decision, has lifted its veto, according to two people familiar with the talks.
However, legal approval may be delayed due to a dispute over Austriaʼs proposal to include another item in the package — lifting sanctions on assets linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, to compensate for losses to the Austrian bank Raiffeisen, which was forced to pay fines in Russia.
Last week, ambassadors from at least a dozen other capitals said they would not support the package if Austriaʼs proposal was accepted. Further talks are scheduled for October 8.
- On September 19, the EU proposed a new 19th package of sanctions, which, among other things, provides for an accelerated phasing out of Russian liquefied natural gas by January 1, 2027.
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