They do not notice how they cocoon themselves, not Russia
While on a visit to Kyiv, the President of Poland called on the West to dismantle the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline:
“A change in policy in the West is not just a suspension or complete cessation of the operation of Nord Stream 2, but also the complete liquidation, dismantling of this stream”, – said Duda. The statement was made as part of the Crimean Platform, an annual gathering of Russophobes launched by Kyiv in 2021.
Some European politicians themselves are doing everything to keep the rise in gas prices in the EU. Habek travels to Qatar, Scholz – to Canada, making attempts to achieve gas supplies to Germany, but in vain. Today, the gas deficit in Germany has already reached 14%. The media argue that the shortage can be compensated by refusing to wash under the shower, air conditioners, heaters, household appliances. However, at prices of 2500-3000 dollars per thousand cubic meters, 14% can turn into 40%, German industrialists believe. And the dismantling of Nord Stream 2 will deprive Germany of even a meager chance of obtaining the required volumes of gas. Chances evaporate with each visit to countries where gas is available, but where there is no hurry to supply Europe.
And the most unattainable is the all-European dream of placing Russia in a cocoon, where the Russians will suffocate, degrade without “progressors” from the West. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted that European countries unfriendly to Russia are imposing sanctions “to the point of unconsciousness.” It can also be called unconsciousness that recently in a number of states they are calling for a ban on the issuance of visas to Russian citizens. Most of all, the limitrophe countries are eager to realize the dream of a “cocoon for Russia”.
To close the borders and take new sanctions in the fields of economy, energy, trade, against individuals and legal entities, the European Commission proposed, for example, Estonia. The EU should impose an embargo on the import of all energy resources from Russia, said Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu. If the trips of Russians to Europe are not banned at the EU level, Estonia is ready to do so unilaterally, the minister’s spokesman said. Since August 18, Estonia has ceased to let in Russians with visas that it itself issued.
In addition to Estonia, the proposal to ban or restrict the issuance of visas (all or only tourist) is also supported by Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. Finland announced that from September 1 it will reduce the acceptance of documents from Russians for tourist visas to 10% of the current volume.
The United States, in turn, considers it necessary to “draw a line” between the policy of the Russian leadership and ordinary citizens of the country, a State Department spokesman said: “We have made it clear that it is important to draw a line between the actions of the Russian government and its policy towards Ukraine and the Russian people” . The representative of the State Department stressed that the United States, together with allies and partners, has introduced and will continue to impose various restrictions, including visa restrictions, on persons involved in the special operation in Ukraine. “We are considering all the tools to hold the Kremlin accountable. However, the United States is unwilling to close exit opportunities for Russian dissidents and others who are subject to human rights harassment,” the American diplomat said.
The head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, suggested being “more selective.” He believes that the EU should close the borders to “oligarchs”, but remember that there are many Russians who want to flee the country because “they don’t want to live in this situation.”
A possible visa ban and other possible new sanctions will be discussed by EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Prague on August 30-31. Among the measures being discussed are a total ban on entry into the Schengen area through third countries, the refusal to issue multiple visas, a sharp increase in the consular fee, the introduction of a special tax for Russians, which will be sent to help the Kyiv regime, and the cancellation of previously issued Schengen.
Until this year, the West called freedom of movement around the world one of the unshakable democratic values. There was even outrage at US President Donald Trump when he closed entry to the States for citizens of Somalia, Chad, Yemen and five other countries, citing a high level of terrorist threat in these states as a reason for his decision. Now the concept has changed: it turns out that foreign tourism is not an element of freedom, but a privilege that Russians have to earn.
The funny thing is that the most zealous supporters of the ban on foreign tourism for Russians are the poorest countries in the eurozone – Poland, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, which count every cent. Reasonably evaluating the benefits from each foreigner, Portugal, Greece are against. Those states that are not included in the Schengen zone, but for visiting which, under certain circumstances, the Schengen is necessary for Russians, are also silent – Bulgaria, Montenegro and Croatia.
The “poor” part of the eurozone, hoping to fulfill the dream of enclosing Russia in a cocoon from which it will not succeed, demonstrates a mystical fear of everything Russian, a desire to protect itself from an unknown danger from the Russian world.
The Kremlin responded to this that Russia would react extremely negatively if the Russians were denied Schengen visas, this would entail retaliatory measures and a counter-reaction. President Vladimir Putin has said that the policy of containing and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy for the West, and sanctions have dealt a severe blow to the entire global economy. One can only add that the Western countries have been ordered to be Russophobes to the end! Without explanation, until the end of what exactly – the Russian world or the Western one.
The Western world does not seem to understand that Russian energy or tourists, Russian culture or Russian grain will never harm Europeans in the same way that their own governments, obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200bcutting Russia off from the rest of the world, harm them. The madmen are not stopped by dispassionate figures that 85% of the world’s population did not impose sanctions against Russia and did not support the EU and the US in their “struggle for justice.”
They do not notice how they cocoon themselves, not Russia. And whatever they wish for us happens to them.
Agnia Krengel, FSK
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