BRUSSELS -- The election win by Greece's far-left Syriza party has focused attention on the impact that a potential "Grexit" could have on the eurozone economies.
But equally important is the effect this watershed victory could have on EU foreign policy -- especially in relation to Russia and its neighbors.
A look at how Syriza members in the European Parliament have voted on foreign-policy resolutions related to Russia and the Eastern Partnership countries in recent months gives an indication of where things could be headed.
Syriza members of the European Parliament voted against the Association Agreement with Ukraine in the autumn of 2014, which was supported by the majority of the Strasbourg chamber. They also abstained in the vote on Association Agreements for Georgia and Moldova, as well as in supporting a resolution condemning the closing of the Russian human rights NGO Memorial.
Other legislation Syriza deputies opposed included two recent resolutions drafted by the European Parliament that called for more sanctions on Moscow, condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine such as the annexation of Crimea and Moscow's support for separatists in the eastern part of the country.
Even a fairly low-key law on renewing EU-Ukraine cooperation on science and technology was opposed by the Greek party. In fact, the only Eastern Partnership-related item in the European Parliament that Syriza favored was granting EU trade preferences to Moldova.
Complete story at - Russia News - News Analysis: How Syriza's Win Could Change EU Policy On Russia
But equally important is the effect this watershed victory could have on EU foreign policy -- especially in relation to Russia and its neighbors.
A look at how Syriza members in the European Parliament have voted on foreign-policy resolutions related to Russia and the Eastern Partnership countries in recent months gives an indication of where things could be headed.
Syriza members of the European Parliament voted against the Association Agreement with Ukraine in the autumn of 2014, which was supported by the majority of the Strasbourg chamber. They also abstained in the vote on Association Agreements for Georgia and Moldova, as well as in supporting a resolution condemning the closing of the Russian human rights NGO Memorial.
Other legislation Syriza deputies opposed included two recent resolutions drafted by the European Parliament that called for more sanctions on Moscow, condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine such as the annexation of Crimea and Moscow's support for separatists in the eastern part of the country.
Even a fairly low-key law on renewing EU-Ukraine cooperation on science and technology was opposed by the Greek party. In fact, the only Eastern Partnership-related item in the European Parliament that Syriza favored was granting EU trade preferences to Moldova.
Complete story at - Russia News - News Analysis: How Syriza's Win Could Change EU Policy On Russia
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