Jean-Claude Juncker tells EU to treat Russia ‘decently’

The European Commission has denied there are divisions within the European Union over Russia following comments about EU policy by Jean-Claude Juncker.

In a speech in Germany on Thursday night the commission chief said Europe's policy on Russia should not be dictated by Washington.

“Russia must be treated decently,” Mr Juncker said. “We must make efforts towards a practical relationship with Russia . . . that must be the case. We can’t go on like this.”

Mr Juncker also said Russian behaviour in Crimea and Ukraine was "not acceptable".

His call for a more sympathetic attitude towards Moscow puts him at odds with a number of EU member states.

These include Britain, France and the Netherlands, which are taking part in US-led air strikes against Islamic State in Syria, and have criticised Russia's intervention in the region.

While Russia has said it is targeting Islamic State forces, Washington and various European capitals claim that more than 70 per cent of the areas hit by Russia are regions where IS have no presence.

The EU, which has imposed sanctions against Russian individuals in response to Moscow’s incursion into eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, is due to review its sanctions regime in January. Several member states are in favour of easing them.

Sanction decisions

A number of EU diplomats have stressed that the decision on sanctions will be linked to the implementation of the Minsk Protocol.

Others have said that Russian president Vladimir Putin’s surprise incursion into Syria has raised questions about Moscow’s trustworthiness, and could weigh on opinion when sanctions are revisited.

Meanwhile, the US is to cease funding and training rebel groups in Syria following revelations that some weapons and ammunition provided under the $500 million programme had been given to extremists, the New York Times reported. Instead the Pentagon will provide help to "a select group of vetted leaders and their units".

The failure of the training programme has highlighted the difficulties faced by Washington as it tries to aid Syrian opposition groups.

Meanwhile, US defence secretary Ashton Carter said there was evidence that four Russian missiles crashed in Iran on their way to Syria.

Hit targets

Russian has denied this, saying that all 26 missiles fired from its ships on the Caspian Sea hit their targets in Syria.

The attack was part of a co-ordinated ground offensive with troops loyal to president Bashar al-Assad in the central province of Hama as Mr Assad attempts to regain control of areas lost to rebels.

The war in Syria and the ongoing refugee crisis are expected to dominate Monday's meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

EU leaders are expected to return to the issue at their October council next Thursday and Friday in Brussels.