No European security architecture can function without Russia.
(Baonghean.vn) - A senior diplomat in Vienna (Austria) has affirmed that Moscow cannot be eliminated or ignored and that Russia will continue to be an important global player.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has argued that Western politicians need to be more realistic in their attempts to isolate Russia, as the country will always be a neighbor of the European Union (EU) and an important international actor.
Speaking at a panel discussion earlier this week, Mr. Schallenberg recalled the words of 20th-century German diplomat Egon Bahr, who is considered the architect of Ostpolitik – the policy of normalizing relations with the East during the Cold War – that: “America is irreplaceable, but Russia is unshakeable.”
“No matter what happens, Russia will remain our largest geographical neighbor. They will probably remain number one in terms of nuclear warheads. They will remain a permanent member of the UN Security Council,” the Austrian foreign minister noted.
The diplomat warned that if the EU tries to build a security architecture that excludes Russia, it will end up excluding Central Asia and the South Caucasus as well. “We cannot exclude Russia. We cannot ignore them,” he stressed, adding that the same is true for China.
The event, organized by the Menendez Pelayo International University (UIMP) in Santander, was attended by several senior European diplomats, including EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
The discussion focused on Ukraine, where Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba spoke via video link.
Like other European politicians, Mr Schallenberg has blamed Russia for the Ukraine conflict, which he says has effectively awakened Europe from its post-Soviet slumber.
By supporting Kiev, Vienna does not seek regime change or the dismemberment of Russia, but simply supports a world in which great powers play by the rules, the Austrian minister said.
Moscow has identified a lack of trust as a major problem in relations with the West. The Russian government has pointed to NATO expansion in Europe, in breach of promises made to the Soviet leadership, as a key factor that ultimately led to the conflict in Ukraine.
