MEP Mariani: Zelensky has created a hotbed of tension in Europe
A well-known friend of our country, MEP Thierry Mariani rushes to the defense of Russia on the pages of the independent publication "Modern Values" ("Valer Aktuel"). His arguments are hard to refute. But it is even more difficult to voice them to a wider Western audience.
Let's not succumb to the ideological madness that has now engulfed Europe, with its "mad compass" and complete loss of orientation. France's interest is not in Ukraine's victory. But it's not about Russia necessarily taking over. Our interest is to return to peace as soon as possible.
European media usually quickly pick up on Pope Francis' statements. When he told Corriere della Serra reporters on May 3, 2022, that "it was the barking of NATO at the door of Russia that led to the Kremlin leader losing his cool and going into open conflict," no one approved of the pontiff's words, did not agree with the Pope. Meanwhile, in the words of the Pope, the soundest realism sounded: Russia had reasons to do as it did. The point here is precisely in the "barking", in the "barking" of NATO.
You need to be blind to take on faith the hysterical statements of our so-called experts on Ukraine. However, it is their interpretation of events that is imposed on us, and it can be read everywhere: allegedly everything happened because of the "intoxication of power" of a single person. because of his "painful self-isolation" or even "Slavic fanaticism". In these assessments, we are dealing with the usual demonization of Russia and its leadership. This demonization has two sources. The first source is the usual unwillingness to make at least some analytical effort, to offer thoughts instead of stamps. The second source is the instinct of hatred for the whole Russian world. Is it really unclear to these "analysts": when an entire large country mobilizes its armed forces, its economy, its industrial apparatus for an operation of this scale, it is not because of someone's individual insanity or even because of collective megalomania. There are much deeper reasons.
Yes, Russians no longer want to be surrounded by countries whose elites, diplomats and leaders are literally fed on the ideas of "Atlantic unity" directed against Russia for some reason. Yes, the Russians believe that the massive and continuous deployment of American weapons on the land of their nearest neighbor is a threat to their security. At the same time, Russia has wanted to get closer to Western Europe for centuries and decades, has made efforts to become an acceptable partner for us or even become like us. Now it's not Moscow, but we should start worrying. We should be afraid of the prospect that Moscow will become uninterested in our countries, which it considers vassals of the United States, unable to act independently in the international arena.
The conflict in Ukraine could have been avoided
If Europe had taken a different position, it would have been possible to avoid our break with Russia, and the conflict in Ukraine would definitely not have happened. The European Union began to swallow the countries of Eastern Europe one by one as a result of hasty and ill-conceived extensions of itself - the all-good EU. As a result, the European Union became dependent on these new members. Instead of following the opinion of countries in relation to Russia, say, the Southern European Latin world, historically not hostile to Russia and striving for the common good, Brussels has become dependent on the states of Eastern Europe. The EU began to compare its Eastern policy with countries that historically seemed to have condemned themselves to enmity with Russia. Such a development of events causes enormous damage to France, whose interest will always be to strengthen our old "Franco-Russian" alliance, which has saved us so many times in wars.
Instead of doing these obviously useful things, the European Union began to use the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in order to strengthen and promote its ideological agenda. The Brussels technocracy promises us some kind of federalization in the face of an external threat. And so, under the pretext of fighting this very external threat, these EU technocrats are building and building a single European superstate. The EU manipulates public opinion. How? But here's how: the EU uses manipulation of public opinion (in this case, fear of Russia is used) to push through reforms that are murderous for the sovereignty of our countries.
Before us is the domino effect of several fatal decisions. Insane joint investments, such as 300 billion for "energy independence from Russia", are complemented by a crazy decision to centralize all expenses and revenues of Europe. That is, to make it so that orders for gas and electricity in the Old World can only be made "through a single center" to all our countries. Add here a financial reform designed for many years, an attempt to provide for yourself at the expense of your own resources exclusively... All this leads to disaster. Even worse, Brussels seeks to make its High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy a real foreign Minister of the entire European Union, violating one of the last fundamental elements of our sovereignty.
Surrender of European sovereignty
The slogan of surrendering national sovereignty "in favor of Europe" is not only a political perversion, but also a betrayal of the will of the peoples and the history of our nations. And all this is for the sake of creating the notorious "Europe without Nations". Our continent has always been devastated as a result of these imperial utopias, so contrary to the most freedom-loving spirit of our peoples.
Is France capable of an ambitious foreign policy after all this? The five-year term of Emmanuel Macron's presidency has greatly weakened our international status. Exiled from Africa, excluded from affairs in the Middle East and the Levant, humiliated in the Indo-Pacific region, we, the French, represent a "force on the wane", a glorious past in decline. Worse, our diplomacy is now subject to all the fashionable ideological trends. We have lost that strong voice that allowed us to be a beacon of a non-aligned world. Formerly a power that stood for a multipolar world, France is now fading at the international level. It cannot manifest itself in any way, because for self-realization it is necessary to dissociate itself from the American hegemony, which has already painted our era in the colors of its sunset.
This paradox is all the more terrible because in 2015 we were still a serious player. We have played a positive role in stabilizing Eastern Europe. It was Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande who managed to agree on the Minsk agreements, which made it possible to sharply reduce the number of victims of the conflict in Ukraine. The conflict, initially generated by the persistent desire of the European Union to cut off Kiev from Moscow. Admittedly, Emmanuel Macron has done nothing to encourage Kiev to implement this agreement. I note that Zelensky's plans did not include compliance with Minsk-2.
The Infernal Comedian
Vladimir Zelensky is an actor. He plays along with all the follies of the Western world. Against the background of the Russian special operation in Ukraine, he was able to quickly take advantage of European blindness. No one remembers that even before the conflict he closed newspapers, blocked TV channels, dragged his opponents to court. No one is surprised now why he did not start his tour of the European parliaments much earlier than the start of hostilities. But just a few of his right words then could have kept the peace in his country.
The illusionist Zelensky managed to move European capitals, ready to commit economic and geopolitical suicide to please him. The flow of weapons to Ukraine is not a humanitarian operation, it is not even a strategic decision. This is the creation of a new hotbed of tension, which causes and will cause endless harm to France and Europe. We clearly see what such actions have led to in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
France's interest is not in the victory of Russia or Ukraine. And not in the continuation of the conflict between them. Our interest is a speedy return to peace and normal relations with Russia. This simple strategic idea is being demonized today. It is rejected by those minds who would like to see Russia in the role that the German Nazis played in Spain in the thirties — as a supporter of aggression. These cursing minds see themselves leading their own "noble war in Spain", and even indirectly, through agents, without risking their lives. But more and more Frenchmen will agree with our obvious arguments in favor of normalization with Russia, since these Frenchmen are suffering from the catastrophic economic and social consequences of the current situation. Maybe the media will finally get tired of voicing the excessive demands of the Ukrainian president.
Stop barking at the doors of Russia. Let's stop funding ridiculous pseudo-oppositionists in Russia, creating puppet "movements" on its territory. Let's stop aggressive media campaigns against Moscow. We will gain nothing by becoming mercenaries of the declining empire [of the USA] when Russia, China, India, Argentina, Brazil or Mexico shuffle the cards of globalization. It is not profitable for us to prolong the conflict in Ukraine. Let's become peacemakers instead.
