We need European unity

(Last of two parts)

For all its madness, Russian policy is painfully rational. We are entering the third year of what has been an extremely difficult pandemic, face a growing economic crisis and now there is an additional menace coming from our eastern neighbor. Vladimir Putin is cynically and effectively exploiting European weaknesses and crises. Unfortunately, many members of the European elite have become adept at blindfolding themselves to the dazzling rebirth of Russian imperial ambitions.

The list of political leaders who have opted for Russian roubles and lucrative stakes in Kremlin’s businesses is shocking and disheartening. We are all aware of the case of Gerhard Schroder who exchanged his political career for cash in Russian energy companies. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Among the many European collaborators of Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft and companies building Nord Stream 2 are former chancellors, prime ministers, senior diplomats, presidential advisors and ministers.

Those who try to justify such a path speak of the free market and the right of these individuals to accept such jobs after years of public service. But these people have not gained positions by chance. Their knowledge and skills have become tools in Kremlin’s hands. As leaders of states, they helped forge European policies on energy, economy and security. They had access to secret data and to the materials drafted by special forces. They made strategic decisions that determined the future of the EU and NATO communities. Let us call them what they really are: Trojan horses used by Russia across Europe.

Geopolitical Dimensions of NS2

Moscow’s intentions leave no room for doubt. Back in July last year, Vladimir Putin published an article on the historical relations between Russia and Ukraine. Its main thesis is the belief that there is no such thing as a separate Ukrainian nation, and that the Ukrainian people are part of what he terms the “Ruthenian nation,” in which the Russians play the dominant role. According to Putin, Ukraine is an inseparable part of the Russian world. In line with these optics, the efforts of Ukraine to assert its independence and a separate identity are not only an error. Even more so, they are a provocation. There is no place in Vladimir Putin’s vision for a free and independent Ukraine. This in turn means that Putin’s Russia has no respect for peace and international law. Putin’s objective seems clear: to make the West withdraw its support for Ukraine and allow Russia a free rein.

The NS2 gas pipeline is evidence itself that Putin’s scenario has its advocates across Europe. This project, which is suicidal for Europe’s energy future, casts a long shadow over German policy. Thanks to the pipeline, Gazprom will control gas flow across Europe, making deliveries contingent on political decisions. Such an arrangement is unacceptable not simply from a geopolitical perspective, but also in terms of the economy. We can already see that Russia is drastically cutting the transit of this resource via existing gas pipelines. Only a small proportion of the available throughput via Ukraine is currently being used, with Gazprom making no bookings of gas transit from the Yamal pipeline. Russia’s energy monopoly thus gives it a monopoly over any decisions regarding Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Europe needs unity

In the face of this menace, what is needed is solidarity and cooperation throughout the continent. Europe and its Transatlantic Partners should treat the events currently taking place on the eastern border of the European Union as perhaps a final warning. The most effective bargaining chip that Europe and the USA can bring to the negotiation table are potential economic sanctions and a clear intention to block NS2. This should not just be the stance of Poland and other Central European countries. In these critical times, we need true leadership that will eliminate the present menace and restore Europe on its path of security and development.

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Mateusz Morawiecki is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.