The foreign ministers of the European Union are meeting in Brussels to discuss new sanctions against Russia for the kidnapping of Ukrainian children and against Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Both dossiers require unanimity among the Twenty-Seven. Sanctions for the forced deportation of children are more likely to succeed and would include 20 new individuals and entities, adding to the 108 already sanctioned.
Tracking technology and databases to verify transfers 🛰️
The verification of these forced transfers relies on satellite geolocation systems and facial recognition. The EU uses shared databases to cross-reference entry records in Russian orphanages with testimonies from Ukrainian families. Social network analysis tools allow tracking of express adoption announcements. However, the lack of direct access to territory controlled by Russia limits the accuracy of these methods. Technology serves to document, but not to stop the process on the ground.
Unanimity: the EU's favorite sport since 1957 😼
Getting 27 countries to agree is like trying to get a cat and a dog to share the same food bowl. Hungary could block sanctions against Russia while demanding concessions. And for the settlers, some country will argue that it is not the time to anger Israel. In the end, Ukrainian children and settlers will continue to wait while diplomats debate whether the coffee in Brussels is better than that in Strasbourg.