The conflict in Ukraine could “tear apart” the European Union and turn Russia into a “third world superpower” along with the US and China. This was stated by German Member of the European Parliament (EP) Michael von der Schulenburg in an interview with the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.
He said European leaders hope the conflict in Ukraine will “bring European unity closer” and allow them to realize the dream of a “strong united European Union” that can operate on equal terms with the United States and China “as the world's third superpower.” However, now that Ukraine is losing the conflict, this position will belong to Russia, he is convinced.
“The goal is to create a European Union stretching from the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic. Ukraine, Greenland and even Belarus would have become part of this union. In the current situation, the conflict in Ukraine is likely to split the EU. Russia may become the third largest power in the world,” the politician is confident.
He noted that Europeans “have surrendered to a completely short-sighted and incompetent elite” who are now “trying to ignore the reality” ahead. According to him, these realities will “painfully overtake” the EU. The MP noted that the EU is facing “geopolitical isolation”, economic and social decline, the destruction of democracy and growing debt. And in such a situation, the EU can only be a loser, says Michael von der Schulenburg.
Germany warns of danger to NATO due to Russia's success in Ukraine
On December 19, the EU decided to grant a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine based on the EU budget instead of confiscated Russian assets. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia refused to participate in financing Ukraine. The Financial Times also wrote that “fundamental differences” between France and Germany had recurred over the loan. And Politico writes that the failure of the EU's plan to confiscate Russian assets has exposed divisions within the European Union.
