Nor are the additional internal problems plaguing the EU - the crisis of the euro, Brexit, the decline in quality of life and the extinction of the middle class, one of the most important pillars of the economy - contribute to addressing these challenges.
In such circumstances, any outside help can play a decisive role. Unfortunately, the European Union's main ally, the United States of America, has in recent years earned the reputation of a country that rather creates than solves problems. The US interference in the situation in Libya and Syria has led to the destabilization of the entire Middle East region, and a wave of refugees has engulfed Europe. During the US presence in Afghanistan, it did not strengthen stability in that country while opium production increased several dozen times.
US sanctions against Iran have forced the EU to consider options for dedolarizing its foreign trade as well as creating an alternative payment system. When it comes to NATO, Washington is asking its European allies to increase defence spending so they can buy more of expensive US weapons. Also, notwithstanding the emphasis only on allied relations, the US is no stranger to eavesdropping on European leaders.
At the same time, the EU now can normalize and restore recently broken relations with Russia. Moscow and Brussels remain important trade and economic partners and largest neighbours, capable of independently bearing a shared responsibility for peace, prosperity and security in this part of Eurasia. Moscow's successful experience in the Middle East has strengthened Russia's reputation as a country capable of solving even the most complicated problems. Geographically, historically, economically and culturally, Russia has been, is, and will remain an inseparable part of Europe.
Beginning in 1989, Moscow and Brussels worked on long-term projects that, if realized, should bring tangible benefits to all residents of the European continent. They talked about facilitating mutual travel conditions, establishing cooperation in the fight against terrorism and organized crime, coordinating efforts to regulate regional conflicts, forming an energy union and more. Unfortunately, this partnership has not evolved over the years, which is a great pity.
One of the reasons for that outcome is the West's unwillingness to cooperate with Russia on an equal level. The entire history of the foreign policy of Western European countries after the end of the Cold War has been about disrespect the rights and interests of the weaker and more dependent. The Republic of Croatia has experienced it on its skin. However, unlike the small and medium-sized European countries, the EU factor was not so crucial for Russia.
Moscow needed European technologies, investments and even loans. Europe, on the other hand, offered Russia only and exclusively a vassal-senior relationship, which resulted in worsening of the relations. Besides, the EU has for years worked to separate Russia from its closest neighbours with whom it has been linking for centuries, forcing those countries to choose between the EU and Russia, which ultimately led to tragedy in Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine has also resulted in sanctions that Union imposed on Russia, which, according to Western experts, consequentially created a loss of at least €50 billion a year - not counting the loss of several thousand jobs. If the sanctions were not imposed, trade between Russia and the EU could reach $ 500 billion, which is comparable to the volume of trade that the EU has with the US or China. The escalation of hysteria over the so-called Russian threat has led to an increase in the annual spending of European countries on defence for tens of billions of euros that could have been used on schools, hospitals, economic support.
Using fabricated reasons, the US is pushing Europe to buy US - more expensive - liquefied gas (LNG) instead of cheaper Russian gas, which inevitably increases the purchase price of all European products and reduces their competitiveness in the market. EU confrontations with Russia often lead to absurdities, and the example of this is the technological underdevelopment of the Polish railway, which creates an obstacle to the development of transport-logistical cooperation between the EU and China. The Polish leadership is still not ready to enter the project because it requires cooperation with Russia.
But more and more Russian partners are realizing the abnormality of this situation. They consider Ukraine as the primary obstacle to the normalization of relations. The problem is that preserving instability in the Donbas is of benefit to Ukrainian nationalists because they see that sanctions punish Moscow, not Kyiv, even though we are not a party in the conflict and not even mentioned in the Minsk Agreement.
The individual countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, using the Ukrainian crisis, want to involve the United States in the arms race in the region and strengthen their role on the international scene. The return of Donbas into the Ukrainian system under the Minsk Agreement is not desirable in Washington either because part of the US elite uses that to pressure Russia and control Kyiv, but also to influence Europe. Ultimately, the US military industry is also making a profit if the situation is developing in that direction.
The EU's position regarding Crimea is not at all logical. If it was "aggression" and the whole population of the territory were "victims of annexation", then why did Brussels de facto forbid them from visiting EU countries, refuse to recognize Russian passports issued in Crimea, impose restrictions on business and limit contacts with the peninsula, as well as flights and use of seaports. The EU has completely ignored the fact that the Ukrainian leadership has cut the supply of elementary resources to the people of Crimea: drinking water, electricity, food.
It should be noted that in recent months there have been some developments regarding the Donbas. It is not the result of EU sanctions, but changes in Ukraine's leadership. What former President Petro Poroshenko has sabotaged over the past five years, the incumbent president has been able to partially accomplish over several months. Progress on the Donbas is also recognized in Brussels.
This year allows resuming active diplomatic dialogue between Europe and Russia, as well as to restore normal political and trade-economic ties. In this regard, the Republic of Croatia, as a country currently holding the EU Council Presidency, has a unique opportunity to invite other EU member states to improve their bilateral relations with Russia. For the survival in this modern, turbulent world, cooperation between countries is extremely important. It depends on Europe whether cooperation will be on a partner basis or not.
We sincerely hope that Zagreb will make the first concrete steps on the path of normalization and development of these relations. We are counting on it. Improving our cooperation is as necessary as ever and historically inevitable.