Essay: "Is it worthwhile to dance with the United States?" -- Europe's reflection on the crisis in Ukraine

2022-11-29

After the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, many European countries have followed the US foreign policy and imposed sanctions on Russia, which has become increasingly obvious. The cold winter has arrived. Facing the soaring cost of living and the endless energy crisis, some Europeans who have calmed down begin to reflect on whether they should continue to dance with the United States? What has Europe gained at the expense of peace and prosperity? Josep Pique, the former Spanish Foreign Minister, recently published an article in the Spanish weekly Foreign Affairs magazine, pointing out that the United States played a decisive role in the Russian Ukrainian conflict. "We Europeans should ask ourselves: should Americans decide the conflict process? Should our peace and prosperity be subordinated to the interests of the United States or arrogant? Is it meaningful for Europe to bear the consequences?" In his article, Pike said that George Washington, the founding father of the United States, had advised his compatriots to avoid getting involved in European affairs. However, the United States has meddled in European affairs again and again. The latest example is that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is clearly a European problem, but the United States, a superpower, seems to have become one of the protagonists. Faced with difficulties, many European politicians, scholars and ordinary people began to reflect. Former Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Italy Geraci said that NATO's continuous eastward expansion under the leadership of the United States is one of the root causes of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, while the cost of the conflict is mainly borne by Europe. After the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, due to the tight energy supply, natural gas prices in many places in Europe hit new highs, increasing inflationary pressure and the burden on people's livelihood. According to the latest statistics of Eurostat, the prices of energy and food in the euro area continued to soar. The inflation rate in October reached 10.7% at an annual rate, a record high. The European Commission recently released its economic forecast report for the autumn of 2022. According to the report, the economy of the EU, the euro area and most member countries is expected to fall into recession in the fourth quarter of this year, and economic activity will continue to shrink in the first quarter of next year. Compared with politicians and scholars, many European people are more clearly opposed to the American arch fire. The website of the Financial Times recently published a report entitled "Anti war protests sweeping Europe", which reported that many people held anti war rallies in Germany and other European countries to express their dissatisfaction. A German protester complained that he received more and more bills, but his hope of finding a job soon became increasingly slim. "It was the United States that wanted to intervene in Russia, but ordinary German people would pay for it". What the protesters said is true. It is no doubt that interest groups such as the US military industrial complex and petrochemical energy enterprises have benefited most from this war. According to the US Yahoo News website, since the crisis in Ukraine escalated in February, EU countries have committed to purchase weapons and equipment worth about 230 billion US dollars. Since American arms dealers are major suppliers in Europe, they will get the largest share of these orders. In this way, the real money and silver paid by Europeans flowed into the pockets of arms dealers on the other side of the ocean. When Europe was deeply involved in the energy crisis, the United States "took advantage of the fire", seized the European energy market and sold it at a high price. According to data from Luft, a financial information service provider, nearly 70% of LNG loaded by cargo ships departing from the United States in September was shipped to Europe. According to several European media reports, American companies

Edit:Hou Wenzhe    Responsible editor:Weize

Source:xinhuanet

Special statement: if the pictures and texts reproduced or quoted on this site infringe your legitimate rights and interests, please contact this site, and this site will correct and delete them in time. For copyright issues and website cooperation, please contact through outlook new era email:lwxsd@liaowanghn.com

Return to list

Recommended Reading Change it

Links

Submission mailbox:lwxsd@liaowanghn.com Tel:020-817896455

粤ICP备19140089号 Copyright © 2019 by www.lwxsd.com.all rights reserved

>