EU must improve Russia ties, says Commission chief Juncker

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: BBC

The EU must restore a "practical relationship" with Russia and not let the US "dictate" that policy, the European Commission chief has said.

Jean-Claude Juncker criticised US President Barack Obama's description of Russia as merely "a regional power".

EU-US sanctions were imposed on Russia because of its intervention in Ukraine. Mr Obama had a frosty meeting recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Russia must be treated decently," Mr Juncker said in Germany.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34486157

[Demeter]

1. Somebody in the EU read the writing on the wall!

I didn't know they could read...

[DetlefK]

2. Does Russia treat Ukraine decently? Or Georgia?

Can we finally get some war-crimes investigation for the war in Chechnya?

Why do opponents of Putin and journalists keep getting assassinated?

Why was the russian attorney-general given the power to unilaterally destroy any russian organization or company without trial?

[uawchild]

5. there is a line for war crime trials

I think we are all still waiting for the war crime investigations for the war in Viet Nam. And in Iraq. Dick Cheney and George Bush will be going on trial for torture abuse any day now, I am sure. But yes, all war crimes should be investigated, Russia doesn't get a free pass. But neither should we.

[uawchild]

3. nuuuuu!

Russia Bad! /sarcasm

Russia is clearly the worst country in the world. They even allow women to drive cars, unlike our steadfast theocratic ally and paragon of virtue, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. /sarcasm

What would talking and trying to improve relations get us anyways except possibly peace? We need to rile up all of eastern Europe to cut off the flow of Russian gas and oil to Western Europe so we can sell them our own LNG (liquid natural gas) and shale oil. Also, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and allied Sunni Gulf States want to get in on supplying natural gas to Europe also. As soon as ISIS takes over Syria, the Saudi pipelines can be built. /sarcasm

Sadly though, there is a lot of truth about the oil companies real intentions in my joking sarcastic comments here.

[geek tragedy]

4. Juncker is all over the place. From one month ago.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/ukraine-russia.148q/

(STRASBOURG) - European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker warned Moscow Wednesday the security of EU member nations was sacrosanct, amid growing alarm in eastern states over the crisis in Ukraine.

"The security and borders of EU member states are untouchable. I want this to be understood very clearly in Moscow," Juncker told the European Parliament in his first State of the Union address.

...

According to the text of his speech, which was not read in full, Juncker said that while the EU should "keep our nerve" on tough Ukraine sanctions against Russia, the bloc should not close the door to Moscow in efforts to solve a conflict which has cost nearly 8,000 lives.

"The EU must show Russia the cost of confrontation but it must also make clear it is prepared to engage," he said in the text.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

6. Go home Juncker, you're drunk (again!)

[nyabingi]

7. I'm sure the Europeans resent being made

the lapdogs of US-based neoconservative warmongers, but that's all they've been since the Soviet Union fell apart.

The US wants them subservient and powerless and they've gone along with it so far, especially in regards to Ukraine and instigating an unnecessary confrontation with the Russians.

[Blue_Tires]

8. Russia can start by treating Ukraine decently, then...