Commissioner Dubravka Suica, answering on behalf of the Commission, has ruled out any resumption of EU financial or technical support for organisations assisting persons with disabilities inside Russia for as long as Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues. In a written reply to a question from Greek MEP Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR), she stressed that since February 2022 the EU has suspended all engagement and cooperation with Russian public bodies and that any humanitarian or disability-related cooperation would be incompatible with the current sanctions regime and the EU's foreign policy stance.
The answer, dated 28 April 2026, responds to Fragkos's query about whether the EU might consider providing support after the war ends, given the expected increase in the number of disabled people in both Russia and Ukraine. The Commissioner acknowledged that the EU had previously provided substantial support to organisations assisting persons with disabilities and specific health conditions in Russia, but made clear that the 2022 invasion had fundamentally altered the relationship. She noted that the EU now channels its support to Russian civil society and independent media primarily through organisations in exile, recognising what she called the clear link between external aggression and internal repression.
No concrete proposals or timelines The reply contains no concrete proposals, numerical targets, or deadlines for resuming disability-related cooperation. Instead, it reiterates the EU's general commitment to supporting Russian civil society, human rights defenders, and independent journalists as part of its approach to uphold democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The Commissioner did not address the principle, raised by Fragkos, that protection of persons with disabilities should be a universal obligation independent of geopolitical conflict, nor did she engage with the idea of a strictly limited, humanitarian, non-political cooperation through neutral international organisations.
isolation over engagement The answer signals a clear policy orientation: the EU prioritises maintaining political and economic isolation of the Russian state over any targeted humanitarian cooperation, even for vulnerable groups. The Commission appears to view any engagement with Russian-based organisations as potentially legitimising the regime or undermining the sanctions regime. This position impacts several stakeholders: Russian civil society organisations working with disabled persons lose access to EU funding; international NGOs that might act as intermediaries face continued restrictions; disabled individuals in Russia lose a source of support; and EU taxpayers see their funds directed to exile-based groups rather than in-country assistance.
Expected institutional follow-up No immediate institutional follow-up is expected. The Commission's position is consistent with the Council's sanctions framework and the European Parliament's resolutions condemning Russia's aggression. Any change would likely require a shift in the overall EU-Russia relationship, which appears unlikely in the foreseeable future. The European Parliament may continue to press the Commission on humanitarian exceptions, but the reply suggests the executive is not open to revisiting the issue.
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