Russia casts shadow over European Union summit
BRUSSELS — Russia had no seat at the European Union’s table Thursday but it cast a shadow over the summit as a target for criticism of its role in the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s influence over the wars that have dragged on for years deeply frustrated a Europe limited to diplomacy, money or humanitarian aid to try to change facts on the ground.
“Faced with the brutality of the Syrian regime and its supporters, notably Russia and Iran, we are not as effective as we would like to be,” EU Council President Donald Tusk told reporters. “Unfortunately, I know who is effective enough, not in humanitarian assistance, but in bombing.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, “We are all seeing something in the 21st century that is shameful, that is heart-breaking, that shows we haven’t been able to act politically how we would like to act.”