...........subsequent Russian conduct was considered unacceptable and on 6th March 2014 the US President signed an Executive Order which introduced sanctions against Russia for its actions against Ukraine. Europe gave its wholehearted support so the US was able to mention in its statement that the sanctions were being imposed in close coordination with the EU and other international partners.

What a jolly adventure it must have seemed to the European leaders, to be able to take on the nasty Russians with absolutely no risk to themselves as they were riding on the coattails of the mighty USA. This opportunity to clearly demonstrate that being in the EU gives member countries a much more powerful voice in the world than being independent was too good to miss.

But as soon as Russia retaliated by banning food imports from those countries which had imposed sanctions, the EU part of the international partnership started to unravel. Finland, a next door neighbour to Russia had its lorries stopped at the border causing serious economic problems especially to smaller firms and subcontractors.

Rabobank Group, a major lender to the agricultural sector in Holland reported that "dozens of its clients" were suffering from the shortfall in their earnings. Fruit from Poland, Spain and Belgium, cheese from France, Holland and Finland, Pork from Germany, France and Denmark were all among the prod- ucts that used to flow from Europe into Russia but because of the Western sanctions had now come to an abrupt halt.

Economists rationalised that the amount of euros lost in curtailed sales to Russia compared to the overall amount of EU trade was not really that important. This ignored the fact that each statistic represented a business in trouble, a family deprived of income and livelihoods lost which to the unfortunate victims was of vital importance.

A typical example from Finland of the overnight demise of a family owned transport firm whose fleet of twelve vehicles and eighteen drivers was rendered redundant was mirrored all over Europe.

"Like shooting oneself in the foot," commented the Hungarian Prime Minister but as usual it was the citizens who were injured and not one report came through of a politician who was limping as the result of a gunshot wound.