Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

EU Holds Emergency Summit on Georgia

No sanctions or radical changes expected

By Jess Kilby, Newser User

Posted Sep 1, 2008 2:53 AM CDT

(Newser) – European Union leaders gather in Brussels in an emergency session today to review their stance on Russia’s invasion of Georgia. It's the first emergency EU meeting since the run-up to the Iraq war in 2003. With conflicting positions from the UK, France and Germany, analysts say the summit will likely produce support for Georgia and a major rethink on European ties with Russia—but no radical changes, reports the Guardian.

The UK is pushing for a strong EU response, including freezing Russia's membership in the G8, but France fears that sanctions could provoke retaliation from tough-talking Moscow. The German reaction has been mixed, reflecting current fractures within the country’s national government. Russia supplies Europe with a third of its oil and 40% of its gas—but Moscow officials have said they won’t play the energy card in dealings with Europe.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (3)]

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner addresses the media at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, on Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks to the media in Moscow on Aug. 13. An EU peace plan for Georgia and Russia struggled to take hold in August, due to the reality of Russian dominance. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

If any of the European countries wants to serve someone's narrow political interests, then go ahead. We cannot stop them. But we think, as they say in such cases, 'You have to look out for number one'. - Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin

In the light of Russian actions, the EU should review - root and branch - our relationship with Russia. - UK prime minister Gordon Brown

We will continue to have Russia as our neighbour also beyond the current day, and it is in our own interest to return to a normal relationship. - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

French-German Relations Cool Ahead of EU Summit

France, Germany, UK clash over handling recession

(NEWSER) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy began his six-month European Union presidency by quibbling with Germany, and he appears to be ending his term the same way, Bloomberg reports. Half a year after clashing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over a Mediterranean alliance, Sarkozy shrugged off the traditional France-Germany pre-summit chat and rendezvoused with UK PM Gordon Brown ahead of today’s Brussels meeting. More»

Sarkozy: Change—or Kiss Eurozone Goodbye

At odds with Germany over ECB, deflation, budget enforcement

(NEWSER) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday called for changing the eurozone treaty to make a tighter, stronger union, and demanded more budget discipline, increased help for foundering economies, and replacing countries' veto rights with qualified majorities, reports Reuters . He also called for the European Central Bank to be more interventionist and fight possible deflation. "Let us not hide it, Europe may be swept away by the crisis if it doesn't get a grip, if it doesn't change," he warned. "We don't have the right to let such a disaster happen." More»

Putin Wanted to Hang Georgian President 'by the Balls'

Sarkozy's team leaks transcript pre-summit

(NEWSER) - Vladimir Putin would’ve had the Russian army destroy the Georgian government and hang President Mikhail Saakashvili “by the balls” if Nicolas Sarkozy hadn’t intervened, the Times of London reports. In a transcript of August’s cease-fire negotiations leaked by the French president’s office, Putin says he intends to overthrow Georgia; Sarkozy responds that the world will not accept his actions. More»

Europe Agrees to Take It One Financial Crisis at a Time

Sarkozy's hopes dashed amid other leaders' opposition

(NEWSER) - Leaders of Europe’s four biggest economies did not settle on a unified plan for tackling the financial crisis, the Washington Post reports. Instead, each country will deal with banking problems as they crop up. While France’s Nicolas Sarkozy hoped for a Europe-wide plan, British and German leaders were opposed to a single safety-net fund. More»

Euros Eat Their Words as Own Bailouts Loom

A week after ripping US for crisis, dismissing need for own plan, Brown et al. retool

(NEWSER) - European leaders are eating their words a week after criticizing the US for allowing its banks to run dry and engineering a system-wide bailout for financial firms, Bloomberg reports. Governments across Europe, including Germany, the UK, Belgium and France bailed out banks across the continent and pledged support for others as Europe faces its own financial meltdown. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

EU Holds Emergency Summit on Georgia