John Whelan: Fresh sanctions on Russia not good for Irish exporters 

A more sober response is needed from the EU, and lessons must be learned from the sanctions that were imposed in 2014, writes John Whelan

Irish exporters could be an unintended victim of western sanctions against Russia if Vladimir Putin attacks Ukraine.

As Micheál Martin and other EU leaders ponder harsher sanctions to be imposed on Russian president Vladimir Putin for deploying large numbers of troops at the Ukrainian border, following their pre-Christmas summit, Irish exporters worry about lost sales of €1.5bn to the Russian market since sanctions were imposed in 2014.

Germany’s new defence minister Christine Lambrecht caustically commented after the EU summit to the German media, saying Mr Putin should personally feel the consequences of his actions and not be allowed to go shopping on the Champs Elysées in Paris anymore.