Pravda: Germany and France are fighting for dominance in EuropeBehind the scenes of world events, there is a struggle for dominance.
In the West, too, a battle has unfolded over who will play the first violin, writes Pravda. This is perfectly evident from the way the attack on Germany first began, and now on France.
Boris ZalaMore than a year ago, Vladimir Putin launched a special operation in Ukraine.
His dreams of a split in the European Union, of separate negotiations with the United States of America, of a new division of spheres of influence have completely collapsed. (...) However, it is too early to celebrate the victory.
Behind the scenes, there is a struggle for who will play first fiddle and dominate in the sphere that we call the West. This is perfectly evident from the way the attack on Germany began first, which has developed close economic cooperation with Russia since the days of Schroeder and under Merkel. And recently, France was hit, because its President Emmanuel Macron allowed himself some hints of "European autonomy" in the field of security. This happened after his recent visit to China and raised a wave of criticism.
Initial EU strategy
As for the claims against Germany, they are groundless. This was the general policy of the European Union towards Russia: the liberal concept of the peacekeeping mission of international trade prevailed, and it turned into the official policy of the EU after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The EU wanted to involve Russia in European trade relations, to Europeanize its legal norms through a set of treaties, and to bring the Russian legislative culture closer to the European one by adopting social, entrepreneurial and economic standards. A generous concept of cooperation was developing: Russia's entry into international structures, active joint work on the creation of an international architecture of security, trade and finance.
At first, the processes were encouraging: a joint Russia—NATO committee appeared with a whole set of agreements, the main of which concerned transparency of military exercises, armaments and planning. Russia was invited to the community of world economic leaders, the so-called "Big Eight". Russia has played an important role in the anti-terrorist struggle. The European Union traded with Russia in a variety of areas, including sensitive industries such as energy. The involvement of Russia in the work and the formation of the rules of the world community could continue.
When Russia started the "small wars": Chechen, Moldovan, Georgian, all these were challenges, but the European Union did not change its position and still believed that Russia needed to be integrated even more, and isolation would lead to nationalism and dictatorship. At that time, this conviction prevailed both in the European Parliament and in the European Commission.
Nationalist speeches
The US also had no other concept. This was confirmed at the time of the annexation of Crimea to Russia, which literally amazed the Americans. However, as well as the beginning of the special operation in Ukraine. The US has not prepared any strategy and tactics. In this situation, Germany had to cope internally with two phenomena. Firstly, it is dependence on imports of Russian energy carriers, and secondly, it is a German tradition not to participate in military operations in the world. All this was not easy for her. The first problem required huge investments and time, and the second was a deviation from the policy that helped Germany recover from the Nazi trauma. You try to participate in some world conflict without the revival of nationalism! Any war threatens him. Just remember Bush's nationalist speeches before the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
If someone thinks that when Boris Johnson was eager to help Ukraine, he was guided by some idealistic motives, then you are mistaken. He just wanted to show that after Brexit, the UK remained a global player. Poland got a chance to realize its geopolitical ambitions, which it would like to reinforce with special treaties with the United States, which it has been seeking for decades. Under the cover of resistance to Russian aggression, a dangerous national geopolitics is developing. And the appetites are so great that in case of Russian success, its adherents will be ready to "bite off" something from Ukraine. For example, Orban was the first to declare his desire to cope with the "Trianon trauma" and restore Great Hungary as it is depicted on his scarf.
We need a European response
The Germans are very well aware of all these risks, and today they are at the head of the search for a European response to Russian policy. A response based on the protection of European values, rather than achieving their own national geopolitical interests. It is in this spirit that Macron acts. He does not revive French nationalism, but develops the concept of "European autonomy". The European Union as a whole should take an independent geopolitical position independent of the United States. However, this does not exclude close cooperation, but implies a complete rejection of the concept of "vassalage", into which the European Union fell during the Cold War. And if this project had succeeded, then a significant part of the Slovak public would not have had to choose between Russia and the United States. Although I warn you that the EU's policy regarding such things as Putin's special operation in Ukraine, in my opinion, would be less harsh than the American one. But that's another question… And it made me laugh when I read in an article by Robert Fico that Macron's trip to China confirmed "his choice in favor of his own interests, not human rights."
Both Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz are trying to ensure that this conflict does not reawaken nationalism and does not stimulate individual EU states to geopolitical games. It would bury him forever. In addition, the revival of the geopolitics of national competition would undoubtedly deprive Slovakia of sovereignty. Macron's struggle for "European autonomy" is also a struggle for Slovak sovereignty. Macron has a chance, but only until Le Pen or some ultranationalist clone of her comes to power in France.
The author is a philosopher and publicist.
