Following victory in Ukraine, Russia is counterattacking the EU

Russia has almost completely won in Ukraine and has only one “wound”: sanctions from the West.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the American Forbes website, Russia will have no difficulty healing this wound itself.

Winning in Ukraine

According to Forbes, in a rare frank accusation against Russia recently about the situation in Ukraine, President Barack Obama said: "Russia is responsible for the violence in eastern Ukraine, a violence that Russia has incited. Russia is training separatists. Russia is arming separatists. Russia is financially supporting separatists."

But now Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding the lifting of US and Western sanctions, the only ones aimed at Russia over the situation in Ukraine so far, arguing that Russia is now acting as a mediator, bringing peace to eastern Ukraine.

Ironically, Forbes said, Putin's argument shook the West's stance.

On September 12, the European Union (EU) reversed its previously firm stance that Russia had no right to interfere in Ukraine’s relations. The EU announced that it would postpone a comprehensive trade agreement with Ukraine for a year. Although the EU later realized its mistake and continued to demand that Russia not interfere in bilateral agreements, it could not save the situation. Moscow succeeded, at least in postponing the agreement for 12 months.

Forbes said that the EU seems to think that it needs to give the Kremlin more incentives to implement all the terms of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine signed on September 5, not knowing that surrendering to Russia's demands is no small matter.

Russia has completed its annexation of Crimea and Crimean residents now have Russian passports. According to Western accusations, there are still many Russian soldiers in Ukraine and thousands of Russian soldiers are at the border and ready to invade Ukraine at any time.

Putin has faced the West twice, annexing Crimea and invading eastern Ukraine, and won both times. Is there any doubt that Putin will continue to act and win in the future? After all that has happened in Ukraine, it seems that none of the likes of French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Barack Obama, and NATO can stop Putin.

Putin’s only failure is that the sanctions are hurting the Russian economy. But Putin will certainly find ways, not difficult for Russia, to remove them. He will use threats, relentless propaganda, military exercises, and especially the use of energy weapons on which European countries depend to free Russia from those restraints.

EU Counterattack

Russia's anti-sanctions and counter-sanctions campaign against the West is divided into several parts.

Not only is Russia carrying out an anti-sanctions campaign, it is also seeking to counterattack the West in many ways.

Russia's anti-sanctions and counter-sanctions campaign against the West is divided into several parts.

First, Russia is a “mediator” in eastern Ukraine, so imposing sanctions on Moscow is unreasonable and unfair. During his recent visit to Mongolia, Mr. Putin said: “I cannot understand what the latest sanctions are for.”

Second, Russia is using gas weapons to demoralize and divide Europe, leaving many European countries wondering whether it is worth imposing sanctions on Russia that would affect gas supplies.

On September 27, the Wall Street Journal quoted a warning from Russia that if the Ukraine gas deal is not resolved before winter, Europe will face cold weather.

Third, use NATO's actions against Ukraine to make the Baltic and Eastern European countries skeptical of NATO's protective shield and advise these countries to stand on the winning side before it is too late.

According to Forbes, Russia's message is: "If you think you will be safe by 'hiding' behind NATO's Article 5, think again. NATO will not help you in a crisis." Mr. Putin claimed that Russia could defeat NATO with tactical nuclear weapons. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that NATO's rapid reaction force, newly established at the recent Wales Summit, would take weeks to mobilize.

Russia wants the Baltic states to understand that if they confront Russian interests, it can continue to use the excuse of protecting the ethnic Russian majority in these states to act.

Forbes quoted a recent statement from a Russian Foreign Ministry official as saying: “We (Russia) want to ensure that our fellow Russians, wherever they live, are guaranteed rights and freedoms in accordance with international standards... We will do everything possible to protect (their) rights and interests.”

Source Infonet