Could boycotting the 2018 World Cup prove more effective at persuading Russian president Vladimir Putin than an increasingly long list of economic sanctions? For the first time since the Ukraine crisis began nine months ago, EU diplomats are actively considering the idea.
According to an options paper circulated in European capitals yesterday, the EU is considering whether to recommend suspending Russia from “high-profile international cultural, economic or sporting events” including Formula One races, European football competitions and the next World Cup, awarded in 2010 to Russia.
Diplomats said a boycott of the World Cup would not be among new sanctions to be agreed by the end of the week. But during a meeting of EU ambassadors on Monday,