The EU spent last November reinforcing its borders as Vladimir Putin directed a wave of refugees through Belarus towards the bloc. This winter, politicians in Brussels are once again preparing for another wave of asylum seekers caused by Putin – Russian men fleeing conscription.
Baltic countries are taking a hard line. Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas told CNN that ‘every citizen is responsible for their country’s deeds… so we are not giving any asylum.. For Russian men’, while interior minister Lauri Laanemets said asylum ‘would be fundamentally contradictory to the aim of all our sanctions so far, which is the collective responsibility of Russian citizens’. Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis described meanwhile ‘draft dodgers’ as ‘simply running from responsibility’, adding that ‘Russians should stay and fight. Against Putin’.
The idea that people do in fact take collective responsibility for the success or failure of their nation is a fascinating change
If Europe carries through on these words, it will represent a remarkable change of tone for the Union.
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