Moscow: Van Rompuy cancelled his visit to Russia, the EU has vetoed it

The Russian Foreign Ministry accuses the President of the European Council for the cancellation of a visit previously fixed for March 19: “Why should he learn the truth when everything is already decided anyway?” Yet Brussels did not confirm the meeting

A new front of tensions between Moscow and Brussels, with their relations have become icier and icier since the beginning of the Crimean issue. This time, an alleged visit to Moscow by the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy – a visit which has never been mentioned in the President’s official agenda. Yet, Russia said it was fixed and then cancelled. “After all, why should he learn the truth when everything is already decided anyway?” reads an indignant note by the Russian Foreign Ministry. President Van Rompuy’s initiative was praiseworthy, since “he wanted to know the truth about what is happening in Ukraine,” yet “his own people” didn’t allow him to do so.

On March 17, reads the note, “Herman Van Rompuy asked for a urgent visit to Russia,” but “they did not allow the European Council president to come to Moscow,” because “after all, why should he learn the truth when everything is already decided anyway?”

The President of the European Council, mocks the note, is victim of “a new list of sanctions: people banned from travelling from the European Union to Russia. Ironically, the number one on the list is Van Rompuy himself.”

Yet, no confirmation of the mission to Moscow came from Brussels, which would have been taken place the day after the annexation of Crimea to Russia and the day before the Meeting of the EU Heads of State or Government. “Contacts with Moscow are continuos, yet no visit was planned,” said EU officials of the Van Rompuy’s entourage, not confirming nor denying that a request was made just some days ago, on March 17.

In any case, the meeting has a never appeared in the President official agenda, and it seems the posisibility of a visit was discussed but never decided officially .

Letizia Pascale