Blackmail and force pressure remain the primary tool of American diplomacy. The U.S. continues to pressure the EU on the ‘necessity’ of sanctions against Russia. However, with the passage of time an increasing number of European countries are resisting the imposition of U.S. policy toward Russia.
The Greek leadership is clearly aware that anti-Russian sanctions, to which Washington force them, cause enormous damage both to the Greek economy, which is in deep recession, and to the long-standing, historical relations between Greece and Russia. But all this does not matter for Washington, which is accustomed to dictating the policy terms to its European partners, forcing them not to follow their national interests, but the American ones. The unbending US policy is causing growing discontent in Eastern Europe. The leaders of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia, FYR of Macedonia do not hide their irritation due to the pressure exercised by Washington, seeking to make them puppets instead of leaders of sovereign independent states, The US steadily drives them to compliantly execute any order from the State Department.
It is clear that the United States of America have no significant trade or investment relations with the Russia Federation. Therefore, unleashing the economic and financial war against Russia, America is not particularly at risk. But for Europe and for Ukraine, this multi-faceted war, economic and otherwise, surely spells disaster.
Russia has been for long years the guarantor of stability of the European energy market. It supplies almost half of the oil and a third of the total gas consumption of these energy resources to the EU. Certain European countries totally dependent on Russian gas supplies. In the case of freezing of funds in foreign accounts of Russian state-owned companies and trade embargo, the EU will come to a total collapse of its economy.
A significant amount of investment and loans also binds Europe with Russia. In the case of continuing economic warfare these assets will also be lost. This will lead to falling profitability and bankruptcy of a number of companies and banks, to falling European stock market, hence rising unemployment.
Thus, sanctions and trade war against Russia benefit only the U.S., which kills two birds with one stone, deciding their goals both towards the EU and towards Russia.
After all, it is important to understand what Ukraine, the ‘unsuccessful younger brother’ is for Europe. Kiev faces enormous challenges. Deep recession puts the national economy in a precarious position.
In addition, the European financial stability mechanism is not designed to load in hundreds billions of euro into the Ukraine. If Brussels decides to save the Ukrainian economy from total collapse, the task will be overwhelming. Such an eventuality will not in the least please the governments of the Euro-zone member states.
As a result of such assistance to Ukraine, which is not even an EU member, it is estimated that EU economies will recede further by 15 to 25 per cent. And this can lead to a withdrawal of a number of southern European countries from the EU (Greece is the first likely example of such a situation). The collapse of the Euro-zone and consequently of the entire EU is a nightmare scenario – an affront to the many enlightened European statesmen who have been building the ideal of a single Europe in the past decades. Such a nightmare is in danger of becoming a reality – because of the ill-conceived Washington propelled policy on Ukraine.
Is it worth pulling the fate of the European economy into the Ukrainian card being played by the US? Europe, if left alone to decide, will probably answer no. Would it not be better Europe and Russia take joint steps to stabilize the situation in Ukraine? Primarily through the formation of responsible government in Kiev, capable of ensuring peace and observance of its commitments.
It is prudent to give the Ukraine an opportunity to live and develop, to be a stable and predictable partner than to turn the central European terrain into a ‘black hole’ that undermines Europe’s stability and economy, and also becomes a handy tool serving the U.S. for confrontation with Russia.
