Russia vs. West:
EU-Russia strained relations!
-Dr. Abdul Ruff
West continues to be
anti-Russia even during the early reign of President Trump who claimed to try
and drastically improve relations with its Cold War foe. End ideology in
Russia and Eastern Europe has not helped the situation to improve.
USA continues to control policy making processes in Europe and does not let
Europe think for itself and EU does not want lose the US help. As such
Russia’s efforts to bring EU out of US control mechanisms have not been
successful for obvious reasons.
US hand in Ukraine
Russian ties with the western
world have never been smooth though at times they are seen making some efforts
to make up and even stop fighting each other. Mutual mistrust is the main cause
for the conflictual situation and this mistrust is not without any base. The
Sept-11 hoax that helped both to forget their differences and forge a common
front against Islam on the promotion of media Islamophobia, could
not sustain itself too long as the trust deficit between them is
too strong.
USA influenced the government
of Kiev (Ukraine), considered historically bound with Russia since its early
formatary stages, to oppose Russia. That indeed annoyed Russian iron President
Vladimir Putin who in order to redeem Russia’s lost prestige retook
Crimea. Annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, now a part of Europe and EU,
by Russia has cut its relations with both USA and Europe almost
simultaneously.
Mutual sanctions hurt EU and
Russia, economically. USA continues to press EU not to lift the sanctions on
Russia. It is three years since Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and
began its covert invasion of eastern Ukraine. At the time, it seemed like the
start of a more ambitious Israel-like land-grab. His rhetoric implied that
Ukrainian and Belarusian independence was only a historical anomaly.
President Vladimir Putin, a
former KGB boss working in Europe, first came to power in 2000 by killing
Chechen Muslims in a well planned military attack on Chechnya; he has made all
efforts to make Russia super power once again and he shrewdly managed the
foreign policy, made Russia emerge as a super power. When Putin described
Russians as “one of the biggest, if not the biggest ethnic group in the world
to be divided by borders,” Russia’s neighbors — some of them homes to large
Russian minorities — wondered whether he meant to erase those borders.
Eastern Europe, dotted with frozen conflicts of Russia’s making, is stuck in
transition to an uncertain future. Though he still holds Crimea and parts of
eastern Ukraine, Putin has alienated the rest of Ukraine. But the West also has
little to congratulate itself on.
Putin’s
pet project has been to bring in former Soviet states into Russian fold. Three
years on, one is not quite sure if Putin’s project has made any headway.
But the west says he has clearly failed. But Moscow’s willingness to use
economic and military coercion in its neighborhood has alienated many who might
otherwise have felt an affinity with Russia.
Conspiracy
With
Superpower instinct, Vladimir Putin opposes the fall and disintegration of the
mighty Soviet Union as a western conspiracy and said that Ukrainian and
Belarusian independence was only a historical anomaly. When he described
Russians as “one of the biggest, if not the biggest ethnic group in the world
to be divided by borders,” Russia’s neighbors — some of them homes to large
Russian minorities — wondered whether he meant to erase those borders.
Today,
the USA and the EU remain extremely cautious about Russia’s imperial intentions
and see a hidden agenda of the Kremlin to revive Soviet Union in another
format. Russia is unhappy that most of the former Soviet Republics have been
admitted into US led NATO and Germany led European Union (EU). The European
Union has consistently dodged the issue of possible EU membership for any of
the six former Soviet states that now lie in Europe (Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). Russia has a clearer vision for the
region than the West does. It has never treated the six states as fully
sovereign. After Putin became president for the third time, in 2012, he stepped
up efforts to keep former Soviet states inside what his predecessor, Dmitriy
Medvedev, described as a “region of privileged interests”.
As
USA guides European policies, Western leaders do admit that Russia has a veto
on its neighbors’ foreign policies. But even a few want a fight with Russia
even with US backing. They are scared of Russian military prowess. Eastern
Europeans who want their countries (and Turkey that would join the EU) to meet
European “standards” of governance and join Western institutions have become
disillusioned by the West’s failure to offer full-throated support against the
Kremlin.
Meanwhile,
a After Kiev announced the travel ban on Samoylova from entering Ukraine for
the next three years, the Russian TV network Vesti declared that Russian television will not
broadcast this year’s Eurovision contest, though the broadcasting rights for
the 2017 competition actually belong to a rival station in Russia, Channel One.
It’s not yet clear if Channel One will agree to the EBU’s offer, having
announced previously that it will send Samoylova as Russia’s contestant for
Eurovision 2018, in light of Ukraine’s “unreasonable” decision.
Eastern
Europeans who want their countries to meet European standards of governance and
join Western institutions have become disillusioned by the West’s failure to
offer full-throated support. Few Western leaders admit that Russia has a veto
on its neighbors’ foreign policies. But even fewer want a fight with Russia.
So
what can Eastern European countries do if they do not want to be in Russia’s
orbit but cannot join Western institutions? Have they lost their independent
capacity to decide their own matters?
Region
of privileged interests
Russia
has a clearer vision for the East European and former Soviet zone regions than
the West does. It has never treated the former six Soviet states as fully
sovereign. After Putin became president for the third time, in 2012, he stepped
up efforts to keep former Soviet states inside what his predecessor, Dmitriy
Medvedev, described as a “region of privileged interests”. But Moscow’s
willingness to use economic and military coercion in its neighborhood has
alienated many who might otherwise have felt an affinity with Russia.
The
top priority of EU should be establishing the rule of law. Countries where
courts work and laws are stable will be more attractive to foreign investors
and less vulnerable to economic pressure. The West can help by making it harder
for local elites to launder the proceeds of corruption through the EU or US.
Denying Turkey its due place in EU as a European state just because of Islamic
religion is not at all fair.
Meanwhile,
Russia needs to treat all regions fairly. Geography and economics mean that the
Eastern Partnership countries would benefit from good political and trade
relations with Russia. They should not shy away from this, as long as relations
are on the basis of sovereign equality, consistent rules and mutual benefit.
Ensuring that minority ethnic groups are fairly treated is also vital.
Disaffected minorities have been fertile soil for Russia to promote separatist
conflicts — there is less scope for mischief if all communities have a stake in
society.
The
West should use the coming years to try to persuade Moscow that, whether or not
more countries join Western institutions (and even the most advanced are
decades away from membership), it is in everyone’s interests that they should
be prosperous, stable and well-governed.
West
tells Moscow that it is time to give up its nostalgia for empire. The biggest
policy shift must come from both USA and Russia that continue to behave as
though their prestige and fate depends on controlling Europe and neighbours.
Europe’s other imperial powers have realized that it is better to create shared
economic and other interests with former possessions than to try to coerce
them.
Putin
said US-Russia relations have touched the lowest level now as President
Trump continues to behave erratically, especially with his bombing
Syria, in order to get special media coverage.
A
major issue
The
European Union has consistently dodged the issue of possible EU membership for
any of the six former Soviet states that lie in Europe (Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). NATO leaders agreed in 2008 that
Georgia and Ukraine “will become members of NATO.” But after Russia invaded
Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, NATO dragged its feet on fulfilling that
promise.
Europeans
have an important job at hand as they have the future of the fragile union in
their own hands. As they strive to remain united because in unity lies their
strength they Russia a disturbing or destabilizing factor.
Both
USA and EU talk about ‘common values” and say Russians do not share their
values. While, any genuine rapprochement with Russia is difficult to
foresee in their differences in the near future, the EU would strive to engage
Russia where possible and speak out when their views clash as they are too
important to one another. But any engagement is firmly based on the grounds of
the international rules-based system and its principles and values. The spirit
of Eurovision’s values of inclusivity goes against any real truck with Russia.
Between
Russia and the EU, Eastern Europe's Future is Uncertain. Eastern Europe,
dotted with frozen conflicts of Russia’s making, is stuck in transition to an
uncertain future. It is three years since Russia annexed
Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and began its covert invasion of eastern Ukraine.
At the time, it seemed like the start of a more ambitious land-grab.
Three
years on, Putin’s project has clearly failed. Though he still holds Crimea and
parts of eastern Ukraine, he has alienated the rest of Ukraine. But the West
also has little to congratulate itself on. Eastern Europe, dotted with frozen
conflicts of Russia’s making, is stuck in transition to an uncertain future.
Will European Union survive?
Lighting or illumination
is considered to be a happy expression for something that has happened
well, the Tel Aviv city hall building in Israel was illuminated in “solidarity”
with Russia after the blast in the St.Petersburg metro in Tel Aviv, Israel,
April 3, 2017. As a terrorist
nation, making terrorizing the besieged Palestinians as their major hobby,
Israel is through about state terror operations and their needs.
Whether or not Israel was happy and over joyous about the terror attacks in
Russia is not very clear, though.
The
survival of European Union as multinational continental entity is a major theme
of debates and media reports as the fate of survival depends on factors that
seem to be intractable.
Obviously,
Brexit has given a jolt to Germany’s efforts to strengthen the Union with
further measures. Though many in Britain rethink the decision to quit EU for
good, the decision of the people and parliament is final and only few
formalities need to b completed to make UK a totally soverign
nation.
In
fact, the fate of EU had been the subject of heated debates even much before
Britain opted out of EU. Over years of meticulous steps undertaken by the EU
make it look a cohesive multi-nation, now it is much better than a few years
ago.
Recently, European leaders came together to
celebrate 60 years of the continent's greatest peacetime project: the European
Union. And today, 60 years later, the vision remains alive and we can be proud
of our achievements. Europe has turned from a continent of war to a continent
of peace. This project has brought together 28 European states, more than 500
million people speaking 24 languages in one union, the EU.
The EU today might symbolize peaceful
cooperation, respect for human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality and
solidarity among European nations and peoples. It is the largest trade power
and development and humanitarian aid donor. The world's largest single market
and the euro is the second most important global reserve currency.
Back on March 25, 1957, the Founding Fathers
signed the Treaty of Rome – an act that resolutely put an end to the trend of
devastating wars between neighbors on our continent. Fundamentally a people's
project, Europeans pledged “farewell to arms” and “never again war.” President
Juncker stated that they are the heirs of those who first established Europe,
of those men and women who in 1945 returned from the front and the
concentration camps to towns and villages which had been destroyed. He added
that putting behind them animosities among neighbors and reconciling the
feeling of national identity with a commitment to the common good, Europeans
vowed to work toward a vision of a peaceful, united and prosperous Europe.
EU today may be home to the largest union of
democracies in the world and legally European citizens are free to live, work
and retire anywhere in Europe. It is at the cutting edge of innovation. EU
membership has resulted in increased and shared prosperity. This makes them a
strong partner when they all together need to adapt and to face the new
challenges of the world: effects of rapid globalization continued armed
conflict and the rise of terror, poverty and migration, a degrading environment
and resource depletion.
USA insists that Russia is a destabilizing
factor in their ties and the term "challenge" is also used nowadays
to describe the state of EU-Russia ties. As spelled out in the EU Global
Strategy, “managing the relationship with Russia represents a key strategic
challenge for the European Union.” For the last couple of decades, the EU and
Russia had assumed a strategic partnership based on the convergence of values,
economic integration, and modernisation of our societies.
Economic partners
However, the partnership faced a breakpoint in
2014 with the illegal annexation of Crimea and the destabilization in Eastern
Ukraine. From that point forward and today, it is clear that Russia and the EU
have some deep differences: they relate to the European security order,
principles of pluralism and human rights, the need for an open market economy
and a rules-based trading system. At the same time, Russia and the EU remain
strategically important to each other.
The EU remains the largest trading partner for
Russia, while Russia is the EU's fourth largest. We also have a number of
shared concerns, such as the threat of terrorism, climate change and the
situation in the Middle East. The success of the joint efforts to reach a
nuclear deal with Iran demonstrates that we can cooperate in the international
arena.
Many see Europe's
long-term security in regime change in the Kremlin would welcome the
opportunity to bring into question the incumbent's assertions that Russians are
alone and embattled. A few small-minded individuals somehow think St.
Petersburg does not "deserve" sympathy because of Sevastopol, who
assume that every terrible incident is some kind of "false flag"
operation instigated by Putin to generate some kind of
"rally-round-the-flag" sentiment, is not only wrong, it’s dangerous.
To move forward by shedding the US
luggage, the EU would continue to undertake substantial and significant steps
that provide a direct impetus to strengthening people to people contacts both
within the Union and with Russia. From cooperation across our common border
through student exchanges to support for civil society – those are the efforts
that form the real glue between our peoples.
Observation
The West seeks to spread
confusion, dismay, suspicion and uncertainty, globally. Everything is symbolic,
and by not showing solidarity, Europe played into the hands of a Kremlin narrative
that has been deployed again and again on far flimsier grounds. The Kremlin
argues that the West is fundamentally Russophobic, and it delights in seeing
woes of every kind besetting Russia.
Unlike the Cold War between superpowers, Europe wages a “hybrid
war” or 'political war' against
Russia engineering disinformation and political subversion. The
corollary is that every time the European Court of Human Rights censures
Moscow, every time an EU delegation calls for greater transparency, every time
a Western observer notes flaws in electoral processes, it can neatly be
discounted as European mischief-making at best, and at worst 'hybrid
war.'
World is in the midst of a renewed Cold War and there are all kinds of
reasons for Europe to feel hostile toward Russia, from its annexation of
Crimea, to its aggressive intelligence activity. Nonetheless, there is a higher
calling of human sympathy, a sense that we are all united in the face of the
unexpected and undiscriminating threat of terrorism.
Many in EU seek a ban
their dirty-money oligarchs and their paranoid-patriot lawmakers, but they do
welcome their students, tourists, artists and entrepreneurs. This supposedly
denies the Kremlin's propagandists easy opportunities. Indeed, it actively undermines
their pernicious narrative that seeks to force Russians into an artificial
choice between us and them, patriot or traitor.
NATO and EU do not want any
truck between Russia and former Soviet republics most of them are now
their own members NATO leaders agreed in 2008 that Georgia and Ukraine
“will become members of NATO.” But after Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and
Ukraine in 2014, NATO grew panicky and dragged its feet on fulfilling that
promise.
Notwithstanding the US
opposition to Russia and future of Euro-Russia relations, 60 years of
experience since the signing of the Rome Treaty shows that a united EU is
capable of strengthening and extending the wellbeing of European people. And a
united EU will be a strong and reliable partner to countries around the world,
including Russia.
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