EU Fatigue Over Russia Sanctions Shows as Putin Reset Looms - Bloomberg
▻https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-12-15/eu-fatigue-over-russia-sanctions-on-display-as-putin-reset-looms
European Union differences over Russia were exposed as leaders arrived for their last summit of the year, underlining the 28-nation bloc’s fatigue with a sanctions regime that is losing support globally.
Even as EU leaders agreed to roll over economic penalties imposed on Russia over Ukraine, they sent divergent signals on whether to widen sanctions against the Kremlin in response to Russia’s bombing of civilians in Syria.
The mixed messages underscored the shifting mood in Europe as well as in the U.S. in favor of resetting relations with President Vladimir Putin even as Russian forces are blamed for escalating a humanitarian crisis in the final assault on the Syrian city of Aleppo.