Long time the Putin’s plans to restore Soviet Union have been taken notice by neither European officials nor leaders of former Soviet republics. An alternative can be Eurasian Union as the alliance of independent states to deepen integration processes and to develop cooperation. All this is performed with the only aim to strengthen Russia’s positions and to hinder the European Union, but Kremlin’s power scenario has recently seemed impossible for anyone.
So, today after the February events in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, where both Russian special services and armed forces were used, it’s clear that neither Ukrainian, nor Belarus are the independent states for their Northern Neighbor. All Russian governmental branches with their strongest backing of Crimea annexation are behind Putin.
With weak economy persisting only due to oil and gas export Mr. Putin shows preference to strengthening of the military and security services and naturally of propaganda. The latest one is actively working on “iron curtain” restoration to rally the people against non-existent threat of “world conspiracy” against Russia that was concocted by the Federal Security Service (called FSB) and the Russian Mass Media.
Russian president hasn’t obviously accepted to disintegration of the USSR and has decided to return the status quo at least concerning the nearest neighbors. The interpellation making by Members of the Russian State Duma to the Prosecutor General’s Office to determine legality of disintegration of the USSR is a transparent hint for all former Soviet republics.
Frankly breaking all existing norms of international law Putin at the same doesn’t want time to be a sole aggressor. Despite extreme propagation, manipulations and misinformation transmitting through official and private Russian media channels it’s more and more difficult to justify his actions not only before the international public but also before own people.
To legitimate his power policy concerning Ukraine the Kremlin aspires in every possible way to revive revanchist moods in the countries of former Communist bloc such as Poland, Hungary, and Romania. In this case Putin will be able to justify own steps, he says there were also other European countries that were ready to expand their vital space in the similar way.
One of such reviviscences is statement of the Vice Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and the main rowdy of the Kremlin Mr. Zhirinovsky, who eloquently calls upon to divide the territory of “failed state of Ukraine” between Russia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. His diplomatic demarche with distribution of missives from Liberal Democratic Party to embassies of these countries to hold referendum in western areas of Ukraine is especially significant one.
On what the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland Marcin Wojciechowski has noticed “Russian political elite are thinking from the point of view of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact”. But not everybody think so.
It’s known the Russian intelligence actively uses local European radical parties for fomentation of revanchist moods and subsidizes politicians and officials of various ranks to call upon to return of historical territories.
In Romania, for instance, not only the leaders of Social Democratic Party and Jobbik such as Viktor Ponta and Gabor Vona, but also the Prime Minister Viktor Orban make the statements about gathering of ethnic territories, protection of national minorities on territories of other countries and also about autonomy for them.
In Poland Russia was supported by right-wing radical party “Samoobrona” (Self-Defence) that comes out against the EU. Its member Mateusz Piskorski has even agreed to become the observer on a so-called “referendum” in Crimea.
The fact that Russia has been lending both political and price support to nationalist parties of Western Europe must be considered. One example is France’s National Front that opposes the EU and NATO expansion. To support this party The Kremlin actively sponsors French TV channel Pro Russia TV. So it’s not surprised the approval of the Press Secretary of party leader Ludovic de Dann according Crimea annexation as the Russian ethnic territory.
Nigel Farage, Chairman of UK Independence Party, who appeals to dissolution of the European Union, has gone too far declaring that the European politicians have themselves provoked Putin into invasion of Crimea as they have compelled Ukraine to choose between EU and Russia. It’s known in his performances on Kremlin English-speaking TV channel RussiaToday he has repeatedly told about problems in the EU, but never criticized Putin’s policy.
Whole world has realized today that Russian aggression against neighboring sovereign state of Ukraine is strong intervention in domestic affairs breaking all norms of international law and existing agreements between states. Moreover, similar actions create dangerous precedent that will give the chance to justify the same actions concerning any other state in similar way in the future. Approval of Putin policy by ultra-nationalist parties of Hungary, Romania, and Poland that support special status to national minorities can lead to chain reaction on renewal of territorial controversies and provoke redivision of state borders in Europe.
Taking into account existing situation and growing support for power policy of Putin all these actions and statements of ultra-right-wing parties in the EU don’t seem so harmless.
In this situation the international community should pay more attention to marginal parties in their own countries, coordinate efforts and despite different understanding of crisis’ solution do utmost to stop an aggressor. Let’s don’t admit that Ukraine become another victim of Russia whom other countries will undoubtedly follow.