EU countries submit to Russian blackmail

Thursday, 16 October 2008

 EU countries submit to Russian blackmail

With continuing moves by the European Union to take over responsibility for Foreign Affairs from member states, so Europe can "speak with one voice" on the international stage, Gordon Brown and David Miliband would do well to think hard about that means in practice given events this week. For Italy, Germany and France have taken the lead in putting their vested interests first and calling for 'business as usual' with Russia following the invasion of Georgia.

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi last night called for Russia to be given EU membership in the coming years, Germany has dramatically dialled down criticism of Moscow's actions in the Caucasus and adopted a poodle approach to dealings with the Kremlin and France is willing to accept continued Russian military occupation of the ethnically Georgian Akhalgori district of South Ossetia. As expected, after the tough words about the Russian invasion of Georgia, criticism from three of the biggest EU members has now dried up.

After the posturing and preening in front of the Russian cat, these 'giants' have remembered that they like the EU as a whole are utterly toothless and incapable of standing up to anyone. This has resulted in the mice beating a retreat to their hole and without any shame meekly asking Russia to keep supplying their cheese - and asking the rest of the EU to adopt the same approach. Britain, Poland, Sweden and the Baltic States managed to narrowly block the move, although it is certain to come back quickly for consideration.

Russian oil and gas supplies to European countries has key EU member states over a barrel politically and is being used as leverage to ensure Russia is not held to account for its actions. By the very nature of this it would be disturbing if the vote had gone the other way and the EU was "speaking with one voice" as it dearly hopes to, while ignoring the quite proper concerns of Britain and smaller member states which have been on the receiving end of Russian intimidation and even political assassinations of exiled Russians living in EU member states.