See all those fairly numerous notes that I wrote several months ago about my meetings and conversations with different representatives of the United States. It’s troubling how many fears have come true, and most of the conjecture has become even more pronounced.
The great danger, which I then paid attention to is a possible agreement such as Yalta 2.0 — the division of Europe into spheres of interests of the United States and Russia. After the Second world war, during the conferences in Tehran and Yalta was signed some sort of agreement between Joseph Stalin and Franklin Roosevelt. Today there are fears that President Putin and trump will find each other. The explosive force of the Russian question, it seems, are clearly understood in Washington, where he quickly eliminated the national security Advisor Michael Flynn (as Michael Flynn) and initiated the investigation by the FBI for ties the Oval office of the White house.
Yalta 2.0 can lead to the fact that the European map would be a playing field on which small and medium-sized countries like Sweden will get the role of pawns moved by the major powers. Russia and Putin can offer powerful support in the struggle against terrorism, which trump made an important part of his election campaign. With a particular eye on the middle East and the Arab world. Let’s be strong allies — in exchange for influence in Europe and Eurasia…
Different points of view on different sides of the Atlantic visible as regards the energy sector. Stress repeatedly that it can become an effective weapon in the hands of someone who seeks to influence and pressure. Especially noticeable irritation on the American side, German politicians when trying to explain why they deliberately want to increase their, as well as European dependence on Russian gas. The construction of port terminals for liquid fossil gas, for example, in the Baltic States and export it from North America could help to reduce the influence of the East.
But it is not only the gas itself but also on the export of corruption and the Russian way of doing things. They significantly contributed to the attempts to undermine and weaken Europe, which because of its clear sanctions policy after the illegal annexation of the Crimea considered too stubborn. Control and influence are achieved by attempts to break the unity and to destroy the existing legal structure. Therefore, warn against foreign takeovers of companies and attempts to establish control over important industries and entities such as ports, telecommunications and electricity networks. As one expert put it: “the System is not corrupt. Corruption itself is a system!”
The US also has a fear that the new administration will like this development and it will have nothing against the “oligarchization”.
“Shared values bind us on both sides of the Atlantic,” said someone. Europeans are the best friends. We need to keep these relationships, only transactions.
Here we have in mind that, together, protecting the General legal norms, standards and cautioning against some trade agreements and relations between the countries, North America and Europe can protect the order, which sharply contrasts with the fact that I want to install, for example, the people’s Republic of China or Russia.
However, there are still politically breeding ground for the forces who believe protectionism and mercantilism real alternatives. There is reason for self-criticism from those left and right who know the least. Western social model with its openness and free economy should not be “policy, which can withstand only calm”.
What you need to understand the different driving forces, it becomes also visible when analysing country like Russia. It is easy to try to apply their models and solutions. But it is difficult to understand what is happening in Moscow. Imported goods become more expensive. Low world prices for oil and gas hit the economy. In the meantime, this country is causing a storm of emotions across the border and fighting in Syria it is considered a success. And there is a feeling that you can tighten the belt a little bit tighter, just because “they live in such a large country, though, and you have nothing to eat”.
There are many ways to achieve their goals, not just the military. In the Balkans felt the interference in the Affairs of different countries, and they say that the Russian security service destabilizie Montenegro, which is going to become the 29th member of NATO. It warned against such developments. And countries such as France and Germany, I suspect that there will be interference in the upcoming elections. Even the constitutional Committee of the Swedish began to reflect on this as soon as 2018 (an election year in Sweden — approx. TRANS.).
Russia is learning and making inferences from their actions. One of the goals might be to give NATO access to the Baltic sea. But an open confrontation is not desirable, I want to try to win the fight, not giving them a reason to resort to the fifth article of the NATO Treaty. Here is the map now. Even before the Yalta 2.0.
Hans Wallmark — a member of the Swedish Riksdag, the representative of the Moderate coalition party on defense.
