The EU is hopelessly muddled on Ukraine

A couple of weeks ago Ursula von der Leyen portentously announced a further package of EU sanctions against Russia – the sixth, in case you had lost count. No doubt an underling immediately told Vladimir Putin. Most likely, that adviser will have been waved away; Vladimir has more important matters to think about.

Much of the announcement was small beer. Putin won’t be shaking in his shoes at the thought that a few more of his top brass are being sanctioned, the odd bank removed from Swift, three broadcasters silenced in the EU, and a bar on the EU supply of corporate services like accountancy to Russian companies. True, there were two more serious-looking proposals: a ban on European shipowners carrying Russian oil, and a prohibition on the import of the stuff into Europe. But neither look that credible. Greece, Cyprus and Malta are major EU shipowning nations: their governments quickly lobbied to make sure the shipping proposals were dropped. 

The proposals for an oil embargo, which if imposed immediately might have created a headache for the Kremlin (oil being a good deal more lucrative to it than gas), were very much delayed action.