Silence on the Eastern Front-EURACTIV.com

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In this week’s version: Belarus and Ukraine’s concerns, Dushanbe negotiations and obstacles to joining the European Union.

Russia seems to be an old routine. The events in Belarus and its surrounding areas are closely related to the security situation in Ukraine.

suddenly Oddly worded articleThe announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Kremlin government website earlier this July made sense (because it had already done so with many Eastern Europeans who were cautious about Moscow’s intentions).

Putin wrote: “Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians are the heirs of ancient Russia, which is the largest country in Europe,” and emphasized “the historical unity of Russians and Ukrainians.”

NATO member states and the government of Kiev accused Moscow of deploying large numbers of troops along the border and inciting tensions in these countries (independent countries today).

In March, Russia assembled thousands of soldiers, armored equipment, naval ships and air force ships near the Ukrainian border and the annexed Crimea Peninsula to exert a huge military force.

In the past few weeks, the situation has intensified, causing many people in the West and East to worry about the worst.

Moscow seems to believe that the European Union, the United States and NATO will not intervene to protect Ukraine. As a non-EU and non-NATO member, the options are indeed limited but not non-existent.

Just before the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia that there would be “costs and consequences”, which marked the strengthening of the tone of the alliance.

When asked about the possible use of the Belarusian border crisis by the Kremlin as a smokescreen to prepare for military action against Ukraine, Stoltenberg said: “Russia’s intentions are not yet certain, but what we do know is that they have used it against Ukraine before. Past military power.” Country.

→ There is more content in the exclusive interview on Monday at 7:30 Central European Time!

A NATO diplomat told EURACTIV: “Russia will run through the meeting like a red line. To be honest, given the situation we are facing, everything else must be set aside.”

The meeting will include arms control and US-Russia strategic stability talks, joint discussions with Ukraine and Georgia, and meetings in the Western Balkans, and will be held with non-NATO member Finland, Sweden, and EU Chief Diplomat Jose Porrell.

Another NATO diplomat said: “We can expect that, especially in Georgia-Ukraine and Western Balkan discussions, Russia will become bigger and bigger. You can’t separate it. We shouldn’t have what we can do. The illusion of doing it.”

The problem with current attempts to ease tensions is that there are no official channels available.As Russia closed its Mission to NATO Ignoring NATO’s call for negotiations on the NATO-Russia Council, it has been retreated to contacts outside of structured dialogue.

At the same time, it is interesting that people can see more EU-NATO coordination on this issue.

During the joint visit, European Commission President Ursula Vonderlein and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will travel to Lithuania and Latvia on Sunday.

The EU member states currently have differences: the party that wants to take a hard line and may impose more sanctions, and the party that wants to adopt a more moderate attitude and cooperation with Russia, especially Hungary.

But according to EU diplomats, a response to Russia’s possible additional sanctions seems unlikely to happen soon.

Eurasian Digest

Dushanbe talks | EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell and International Partnership Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen asked Afghanistan’s neighbors to prevent human trafficking to Belarus, according to them Already “effective” in the region.

In Dushanbe, a high-level EU delegation and their counterparts attended the EU-Central Asia meeting, where the situation in Afghanistan and its surrounding areas was discussed Always on the agenda, Security and immigration dominate the EU’s focus on the region.

European Union-Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan President Tokayev paid a rare official visit to Belgium on Thursday and Friday Regard his country as a reliable partner Join the European Union and open the door to new opportunities.

EU in the world

Ethiopia collapsed? | With European governments urging their citizens to leave Ethiopia and the expulsion of important diplomats, the EU is increasingly worried about the escalating civil war there At the risk of completely disintegrating the country.

Defensive angle

Nuclear Sharing | Germany will continue to participate According to an alliance agreement reached this week, NATO’s nuclear sharing agreement under its new administration will prevent a crack in the Western military alliance as tensions with Russia escalate.

Submarine Ammunition| After the end of the world war in the last century, tons of dangerous chemical and conventional ammunition were dumped into European waters, and they now pose a threat to marine life and seafarers.

Greater deep-sea economic activity Increase the risk of injury European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius (Virginijus Sinkevičius) stated that ammunition and chemical weapons dumped into European waters during the First and Second World Wars.

Zoom in latest

Proceed with caution? | The Minister of Justice of North Macedonia, Bojan Marichikj, told the EURACTIV government in Skopje that part of the blame for his party’s fiasco in the recent municipal elections was the deadlock in the EU’s accession negotiations. Will be more careful In the future.

Bosnian disaster| Expansion Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina this week to resolve the country’s ongoing political crisis. Cracking along the ethnic route again After the bloody war of 1992-95.

Asylum seekers | EU data shows that in August 2021, more than 1,400 Albanians sought asylum in EU member states, an increase of 46% from July and more than double the number in June, returning to pre-pandemic trends.This is because reducing unfounded asylum cases is one of the conditions for joining the EU The committee claims that Albania has satisfied.