Bound with the Kremlin – Knock magazines on the computer

When it comes to superpower politics, there is no EU. Under the thick layer of trade, rules and institutions, the interests of the major European countries, as always, have the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Russia as protagonists. Between the 1990s and the euro crisis, which erupted in late 2009, Germany was the driving force, and industrial and financial power benefited greatly from European expansion. Over the past ten years, Russia has emerged as a major winner.

When it comes to superpower politics, there is no EU. Under the thick layer of trade, rules and institutions, the interests of the major European countries, as always, have the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Russia as protagonists. Between the 1990s and the euro crisis, which erupted in late 2009, Germany was the driving force, and industrial and financial power benefited greatly from European expansion. Over the past ten years, Russia has emerged as a major winner. While Vladimir Putin is still slandering attacks on dissidents in Europe, annexing Crimea and many other things, Western leaders are standing in line to normalize their relationship with Russia. The Germans have always shown a good degree of pragmatism, but the French also want quicker cooperation with the Russians, and the British are said to have arrived at a summit in Berlin. The most important player in the lineup is USA. In anticipation of a crucial meeting between Presidents Putin and Joe Biden on June 16, Americans have already dropped their opposition to the Nortstream 2 pipeline. The Russians were not the least bit impressed. In the west, they mobilized a large force near Ukraine a month ago; A large number of warplanes were sent back there last week. After the Belarusian government forced a planned flight to land to arrest a dissident, the Kremlin invited President Alexander Lukashenko to visit, as a rebuke in the back. In eastern Ukraine it is handing out Russian passports at an unprecedented rate, which is welcomed as another incentive for peaceful incorporation in Kiev. Putin puts more on the West than his shirt. The same thing is happening elsewhere. In the polar regions, the Russians are growing their military presence much faster than the Americans. In Syria, the port of Tartus is being further adapted to receive Russian ships permanently. After the horrors of the 1990s, the peak of Western arrogance for many Russians, they continued to change course in their favor. The main explanation is the weakness of the West. Through energy choices, European countries link their rules with the Kremlin. Belgium is increasingly connected to the Russian gas empire via a gas terminal in Zebru. Gas imports from Russia have tripled in the past three years – nuclear power plants have not yet closed. Strategic autonomy becomes an illusion. Americans are also weak. Joe Biden has only one goal: to get the Russians out of China’s hands. But they are fine there. China is primarily an American issue. Over the next decade, a strong Beijing will force Americans to focus primarily on East Asia, making Europe even more vulnerable. For the Russians, Chinese influence is destabilizing, but not threatening, as Europe continues to buy enough gas and use the proceeds to modernize their nuclear arsenal. Russia does not have a strong economy, but it has an annual trade surplus of $ 160 billion. Support for the regime is significant among young people. According to a Frederick-Ebert-Stipt poll, 44 percent of 14- to 29-year-olds support the president, while 29 percent oppose him and 27 percent doubt him. The average Russian is more satisfied with his quality of life today than he was when he joined Putin in 2000. Most Russians see the West as a rival to China. Do not trust that they will always fall into our hands. The weak attitude of the West is also likely to lead to further Russian stability. On the contrary, this approach will encourage countries like Ukraine and some of the European member states involved to take a tougher stance. The best way to get the Russians out of the hands of the Chinese in the long run is to push them further into those weapons in the short term. It will make Beijing’s power even clearer. But that will not happen.

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Ferdinand Woolridge

 "Subtly charming analyst. Beer maven. Future teen idol. Twitter guru. Lifelong bacon fan. Pop culture lover. Passionate social media evangelist."

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