Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard

19:01:03
15/12/2016

vz.ru

The head of European diplomacy Federica Mogherini invited Russia “to be on friendly terms against” the USA concerning Iran, the Middle East, and the UN. Donald Trump’s victory obviously plunged the European Union into a serious political crisis. Such an absurd and even ridiculous proposal looks like a rough attempt to drive a wedge into the emerging mutual understanding between Moscow and Washington.

The head of foreign affairs Federica Mogherini declared that on a number of issues the European Union and Russia can stand together against the USA under the leadership of Donald Trump. She even stated concrete subjects on which such a union is possible: the Iran deal, Middle East peace process, and “possibly the role of the UN”.

This statement from the head of European diplomacy clearly demonstrates the very complicated, and in some senses an impasse in which the EU finds itself in connection with Trump’s election win.

Unlike the governments of European states, which show the same tendencies and attempts to be orientate themselves on the national interests of their countries, maneuvering between the various centers of power, the EU, through its bureaucracy in recent years, clearly positioned and acted in line with the globalist policy of the USA: from supporting American military operations in other countries to promoting the Transatlantic trade partnership.

However the coming to power of Donald Trump marked an important change of trend in American politics – he and his supporters advocate not globalism, but a national (to a certain degree even isolationist) American project. Moreover, the steps that are already being made by Trump and his team (demonstrative attacks against China and Iran, the choice of a “pro-Russian” candidate for the post of Secretary of State, sharp rhetoric about the need for reforming NATO) indicate that the European fears aren’t in vain.

The European Union can find itself in a very unpleasant situation of being the “fifth wheel”, or “whipping boy” in a new world system. European bureaucracy is obliged to look for a place and to define its position in qualitatively new coordinate system. And as of now they are doing it, we have to admit, extremely clumsily. Moreover, all this current restlessness of the EU has exposed a serious problem with the essence of this supranational formation. Unlike the States, the European Union obviously doesn’t feel itself as constant and isn’t confident in its own future.

The result was that Europe started openly rushing about in an attempt to find new points of support in the current circumstances. Taking into account the ability of influence of Russia as a center of force, it is no wonder that it is precisely to Russia that the “reverences” were made in the form of the offer to cooperate with her against the USA.

The “set” mentioned by Mogherini is remarkable: Iran, Middle East and “possibly” the UN.

Firstly, with all respect to the European Union, it isn’t a member of the UN. Respectively, it isn’t clear what Mogherini meant when she mentioned this organization as a front of the Russian-European counteraction to Trump’s USA. Involuntarily, suspicion arose that the head of European diplomacy wanted to bring a number of the directions listed by her to three, and nothing else could be found (or it couldn’t be mentioned publicly).

Secondly, the Middle East looks especially ridiculous on this list, considering the ongoing at present hysteria in Europe about peaceful Syrians in the freed Aleppo who allegedly are being slashed by the Syrian army with assistance of Russia. However, besides another wave of the anti-Russian propaganda using this subject, Europe obviously hasn’t any additional plans in this direction. The probability of the introduction of new sanctions in this regard was rejected at the highest European level.

Thirdly, and this, probably, was the main goal of the statement of Mogherini (all other points, most likely, carried out the role of cover) – mentioning Iran and the Iranian transaction.

At the current moment the Iranian subject really looks like a key one in which there can be disagreements between the Kremlin and Trump’s administration, many representatives of which indeed stand out more with their anti-Iranian mood. In addition, the plans “to correct” the nuclear deal with Iran also were already sounded by the team of the elected U.S. President.

Considering the deepening of cooperation between Russia and Iran, including in the military and technical sphere, theoretically it can cause one or another frictions with the USA. However it is still obviously too early to speak about.

Respectively, Mogherini’s statement looks like a rough and even a little naive – because of transparency of intentions – attempt to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington, using the first occasion.

The reaction of the Kremlin, which issued a little mocking comment about the absence in Russia of interest in the relations in the format “to be on friendly terms against someone”, demonstrated that the plain intrigue of European diplomacy raised rather a smile, than concern in Moscow.

While for the EU, this is without doubt bad news. If European officials are inclined to such methods of work, it testifies to their serious despair.

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