Doubts ahead of EU-Russia summit

Poland continues to uphold its veto on a new EU-Russia treaty ahead of a crucial summit between Brussels and Moscow next week.

On Wednesday, Warsaw said it would continue to block the launch of talks on a new EU partnership agreement with Russia.

The EU had hoped to use the summit in Helsinki next Friday to trumpet a deal.

But negotiations on a new EU-Russia pact cannot start until a mandate is acquired from all 25 EU member states.

The European commission attempted to put a brave face on the setback, saying the summit would simply focus on other issues.

“This was not the only issue on the agenda,” a commission official told reporters.

The current EU-Russia partnership agreement  runs out  next year but EU officials are playing down any talk of a deadline as the bilateral row continues.

The EU executive has said the situation will not create a “legal vacuum” when the existing pact expires as it will simply be extended in its current form.

Warsaw has refused to agree to a new deal until Moscow lifts its ban on imports of Polish meat and plants.

“We are unwilling to back off... without a clear political signal from Russia,” Polish foreign minister Anna Fotyga told reporters this week.

“Russia uses energy as a political tool, it uses trade restrictions as a political tool, so there should be no surprise we are using the tools we have at our disposal,” she added.

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