EU council head suggests giving asylum to Russian deserters

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Council president Charles Michel says European Union countries should think about ways to offer asylum to Russian soldiers willing to desert Ukraine battlefields. In a speech in front of EU lawmakers, Michel expressed his “outrage at crimes against humanity, against innocent civilians in Guca and in many other cities,” then called on Russian soldiers to disobey orders. Endorsing an idea previously circulated by some EU lawmakers, Michel added that granting asylum to Russian deserters is “a valuable idea that should be pursued.”