In Germany, began to understand. "We are fighting in vain with the Olympics and the" pro-Russian Ukraine ", losing the sympathy of Russian"
The other day on the site ECFR (European Council on Foreign Relations), the main European «think tank», an article entitled "The Olympic Games in Sochi - a missed opportunity for Europe."
The main idea of the author is that the message is negative, the accusations and deliberate discredit of our Olympiad (it is even recognized that the photos of broken toilet bowls and streets in ruins were made in Austria, and not even in Sochi), which brought down on Russia The Western press, the public and officials, in the end, will not help to fight "Putinism", but on the contrary, they will even strengthen it. Because they actually confirm the idea that around Russia are not friends, but enemies. And that means - that Russia should be strong, independent, and it does not make sense for her to seek the friendship of "Western partners." Because they still try to humiliate and repel her whenever possible.
Amazing non-interference
Continuing this thought, we can add that story with Ukraine played the same role. The fact that talking about cooperation and dialogue in international politics is always only an interest is theoretically clear to everyone. But when the “war of interests” is suddenly declared not in some hypothetical Syria or Libya, but right at our borders, and not just completely brazenly and brazenly, but also accompanying it with some unprecedented hypocrisy about “non-interference in internal affairs "- you cease to believe in the goodwill of the" partners ".
A typical example is the new chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Policy Committee, CDU spokesman Norbert Röttgen, told 14 in February in an interview with Deutsche Welle: “Russia has definitely contributed to exacerbating the situation in Ukraine with its pressure when Kiev began to lean in favor of signing an association agreement with the EU. And in the current situation, in which Yanukovych is the biggest problem for Ukraine, for him and for those around him who are in power, the Russian government continues to support. ” At the same time, “No one has the right to influence Ukraine, guided by their own political interests. The European Union respects such principles, and Russia should do the same. The right to self-determination is inviolable. ” The correspondent asks the parliamentarian - but on Monday, February 17, Chancellor Angela Merkel will receive Vitaly Klitschko and Arseny Yatsenyuk in Berlin, does this mean that the German government is betting on them, supports Klitschko and Yatsenyuk? And no! “I think it is very important to emphasize that Germany does not interfere in the internal affairs of Ukraine and that there are no“ German candidates ”. This, by the way, would not do them good. At the same time, I think it is right that we are conducting a dialogue with the Ukrainian opposition and its two recognized representatives. (...) This is not an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Ukraine, but the German desire to help find a solution to the crisis in the country. ” As the main aphorist of Russian politics said, you are not here.
I must say that specifically, Germany is losing its image in the history of Ukraine in the eyes of the Russians much more than the United States. Americans have long had a reputation as an aggressive empire and the “world police number one”, and it doesn’t confuse them. All doctrines on the use of soft power are published officially, the work of American NGOs on the introduction of democracy and their own ideas about the future is on a large scale and absolutely open, cookies are distributed, aircraft carriers are being advanced. These people know what they want, and do not hesitate at all.
With Germany, everything is different. Although the leading role of Germany in the EU is now obvious, the role of an aggressor is completely unnecessary to the Germans for understandable historical reasons. They even try to refuse NATO’s direct participation in hostilities in military operations - one can recall the historic vote on the Libyan resolution of the UN Security Council No. XXUMX, when Germany abstained and did not vote in favor. By the way, in 1973, the Germans refused to participate in the military invasion of Iraq.
This does not mean at all that Germany is not interested in the maximum expansion of the area of its influence. Of course, interested. But more economic. Although quite a significant part of German politicians and experts, not to mention the media, are busy criticizing Russia on the issue of notorious values and human rights, in Germany there are enough of those who are interested in Russia as a profitable economic partner and who absolutely do not need to teach Russians they have to live (although become Russia more westernized - they will also be happy, because it will simply improve business perspectives). In Russia, as is known, there are not only trust in German quality and order, but also paradoxical sympathies with Germany, taking into account the historical context, as the VTsIOM polls show that Russians (as opposed to the United States) perceive the country as one of the most friendly Russia in the world.
Who and what woke ghosts
Alas, the situation in Ukraine can badly spoil the prerequisites of a normal neighborhood that has been going through a difficult time for some time now. It is likely that German NPOs in Ukraine were engaged in the propaganda of exclusively European values, tolerance and other things. And it was not at all that they trained racist militants, nurtured anti-Semites and contributed to the glorification of Nazi criminals. All have their own roles. Indeed, in the technology of "right-left" operations, the training of fascist scumbags by the main puppeteers is given to other institutions.
But in the eyes of ordinary people, citizens with slogans “Beat the Jews and Muscovites”, portraits of Bandera and Shukhevych and poems about the white race cause direct historical associations. And not with the Americans. And when Germany begins to be associated with the support of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, in the minds of both Russians and Ukrainians “beer, Volkswagen and football” instantly change into a portrait of an SS officer. Change with the appropriate emotions. Actually, the east of Ukraine “woke up” precisely because of this. It is difficult to raise someone with the slogan “Down with the Euro-Association” - after all, it’s really a matter of personal choice, well, someone who wants to go to Europe has the right. And to protect the current government there, too, hardly anyone pulls with all my heart - everyone has a lot of claims against it. But "Defend the homeland from the Nazis!" - This is a completely different slogan, if I may say so, energy intensity. It can be noted that on the “anti-Maidan” Ukrainian websites this is exactly how events are described - “the fascist attack on our administration is repelled,” various anti-fascist organizations are being created, and so on.
In one of the videos from Maidan, the Golden Eagle fighter says: “Moscow is behind us. I hope these words will be understood correctly. ” Do today's Brussels know what the words “We are Moscow” mean for any inhabitant of the post-Soviet space? Judging by the many actions of European officials, it is difficult to suspect them of a great historical education. But those who directed the revolution in Ukraine, they know. And they are well aware that by pulling out such skeletons from the tomb, you can create the necessary concentration of mutual hatred to start a civil war and split the country.
And against the background of this reincarnation of the image of the historical enemy, Germany continues to support the Ukrainian opposition, to invite its leaders to Berlin and to threaten with sanctions, going in line with the common European vector. Russian President’s Advisor Sergei Glazyev, speaking at a section of the Moscow Economic Forum devoted to Eurasian integration, noted that these efforts are “political psychosis”. “Such enormous efforts are being undertaken by the EU and the US to put pressure on the Ukrainian authorities to tear Ukraine away from our integration process, while all the calculations we are doing clearly show that this will be a disaster for Ukraine,” he said. “But they absolutely do not care, they ignore the economic positives that Ukraine receives from integration with us.” The political psychosis that the US and European authorities are experiencing today about Ukraine completely overrides common sense. Huge money is being spent to set up the Ukrainian political elite against Russia with monstrous negative economic consequences. ”
True, in Europe they can no longer turn a blind eye to the right-wing Ukrainian radicals. And they are not invited to Berlin. And even periodically urged to enter the legal field. And in general, it somehow turned out to be inconvenient when among the wards of the fighters for democracy there were guys with a swastika. Which, moreover, as it turned out, have claims not only to "Jews and Muscovites." But also to the Poles (which already excited Poland very much). And also offer to redraw the map of several more neighboring states. All this is somewhat different from the plan of peaceful democratization, which would be preferred by the Europeans. The EU's confusion for elder comrades from Washington could be the cause of the landmark Fuck the EU.
Affiliates without Westernization
It turns friends into enemies and frantic criticism of the Russian Olympics, which in the German media preceded its beginning. However, now the tone has changed. A few days ago an article was published in Spiegel Online “The Olympic Games in Sochi: one-sided gloating of the West”, where the author writes: “The dirt that spills over Sochi does not affect only Putin. It falls on all of Russia. (...) Russia no longer understands the world around it, and the reason is not in Russia. In Sochi is a big holiday. And we are like guests who drink soda all evening and gossip about the master's toilet: “Ha-ha, here the Russians have again disgraced themselves.”
14 of February in the newspaper Die Welt, former German Minister for Economy and Labor Wolfgang Clement and Director of the Eastern Institute in Wismar, Professor Andreas Steininger, spoke with deeper thoughts. In the article “A Chance to Reboot?” They write that while politicians and members of the German public in recent years have constantly criticized the human rights situation in Russia, German economic circles have complained that such criticism is harmful to trade relations. In turn, the Russian side "became increasingly self-confident and sometimes arrogant, thereby providing grounds for criticism from the West" (I wonder what other reactions did foreign colleagues expect in response to endless attacks?) Experts recognize that international problems cannot be solved today without the participation of Russia, and even more so in spite of it, and that for German business it is important that German politicians establish normal relations with Russia. But the most interesting and reasonable words in this article are different. Here they are: “In the end, the most important thing is, finally, to accept Russia as it is. It can not be changed from the outside. Therefore, attempts to constantly remind Russia of our own ideas about morality and democratic values and impose them on it have no meaning. But at the same time, this should not be an obstacle to an open and reliable partnership with this country. ”
Strangely enough, the idea that attacks on Russia would only lead to its self-isolation and reversal to the East, which would only make the West worse, was already expressed by the main American “anti-Soviet” Zbigniew Brzezinski. In his book 3, a year ago, the book Strategic Vision. America and the crisis of global power. ”The author, who had previously not been shy of dreaming about dismembering Russia and calling it a“ black hole, ”calls on the West to be more active friends with Russia, making it part of the so-called“ Big West ”. Or rather, even the "Big North". “Russia should become a member of the Euro-Atlantic community. Russia is a European country and should be part of it. ”
However, unlike the above-mentioned German experts, in the Brzezinski version of Russia it is not proposed to accept as is. Only a westernized Russia can enter the Euro-Atlantic project. But the partnership that impresses German pragmatists, which Germany constantly offers Russia itself and Putin - without instructions, with what values to whom to live - and the result could be increased cooperation between Russia and Germany, based on the desire of German business to make a profit by participating in modernization of Russia and exploring its markets - Brzezinski calls the direct threat to the concept of “Free and united Europe”, which is guarantor of the United States.
Apparently, “not pushing away” Russia, different players in the West want from a variety of reasons. But no matter how late it is. Indeed, unlike expert opinions, the anti-Russian media hysteria in connection with the Olympics and the way Europeans operate in Ukraine clearly and massively demonstrate completely different attitudes. When people see in their address disrespect, offensive teachings, blatant lies and gloating, and besides political behavior that evokes associations not only with cold, but with real war, it is not surprising that in the eyes of Russians the West will have everything more have the image of the enemy. And this is despite the fact that Russia has always been positive towards Europe, and even the most notorious Slavophiles never underestimated the role of Europe in world history, science and culture.
Today, Russia is not at all spoiling the historical chances for healthy cooperation. Russia, on the contrary, is perplexed. And European neighbors, and first of all Germany, should think about it - what do they want after all? And whether it will be in their interests - “in spite of my mother to freeze her ears” and for the sake of senseless anti-Russian rhetoric to deprive herself of the possibility of a profitable partnership with the eastern neighbor.
- Marine Voskanyan
- http://www.odnako.org/blogs/do-germanii-nachalo-dohodit-voyuya-s-olimpiadoy-i-prorusskoy-ukrainoy-evropa-simpatii-russkih/
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