View from London: Elections approach, Ukraine looms
The UK supports sanctions, but the Ukraine crisis has become a political football in the campaign for the upcoming general elections
The UK supports sanctions, but the Ukraine crisis has become a political football in the campaign for the upcoming general elections
Poland is more moderate on Russia policy than hawks might have hoped, preferring the use of sanctions to any military option
Austria is still sceptical about sanctions, but it will not challenge the bigger EU states without support
Slovakia has taken steps to diversify its economic interests away from Russia, which has altered its calculus on sanctions
Italy has been hard hit by sanctions on Russia, but it has held the European line, while still promoting further dialogue
Bulgaria is divided on policy towards Russia, with security interests at the heart of its dilemma
Governmental upheaval limited Italy’s ability to lead on foreign policy, but it remained engaged in the southern neighbourhood and moved forward the debate on privacy and security.
Driven by a new sense of its own responsibility, Germany has stepped up to take the lead in European foreign policy
Bulgaria took few foreign policy initiatives in 2014 because of internal troubles, but the country made one tough decision in abandoning the South Stream pipeline project
A stagnating Western Balkan economy (and a weaker EU) has made Bulgaria the battleground of Russia's energy projects and Western pushback