“That part of the world no longer exists.” Kneissl explains the political collapse of Europe

Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said that Europe is playing an increasingly smaller role in the world, both demographically and politically. She believes that Asian countries stand out in the international arena, she.

“I am now tentatively working on a book called ‘Requiem for Europe,’ because the part of the world I grew up in and dedicated to is no longer there,” the diplomat told the publication. Asian Times.

The new strong pole of the multipolar world has become non-OECD Asia and the non-OECD world. “in the future”.

“This is no longer the definition we worked on decades ago, but it exists, and it’s outside the EU, not inside,” he said.

“Europe needs Russia more than Russia needs Europe”

According to Kneisl, European leaders “out of ignorance and arrogance” ignore the existing geopolitical harmony and the deep-rooted Eurocentrism in their minds. They also depart from the basic principles of diplomacy, which can make the situation extremely dangerous.

Asked by a journalist whether Europe really needs Russia more than Russia needs Europe, Kneisl replied that his European colleagues “lack of real geopolitical thinking.”

He recalled that he had previously published a book called “The History of Diplomatic Power”, the main message of which could be formulated as follows: “Diplomacy is the preservation of communication channels despite everything and under all circumstances.”

“In other words: ‘Continue talking to each other under all circumstances.’ And those who are currently engaged in diplomacy are only members of the Turkish government,” he said.

Russian energy resources

According to Kneisl, by early 2022, “many decision makers” had some sort of conviction that it was easy to sign a contract a few weeks later and import any energy source, be it gas or oil. But even if you have worked in the textile industry and want to buy special linen or special cotton, there is no such commodity in large quantities on the market, because contracts are concluded for at least one year.

“In the energy business, we have to rely on much longer intervals, much longer periods. And we are talking not only about the purchase of goods, but also about their transportation. Do you have pipelines? Do you have terminals? – added the ex-minister.

Kneissl emphasized that the goods exported by the Russian Federation (coal, oil, gas, uranium, etc.) cannot be easily substituted.

“It takes a while. As for the gas, it would take three to five years to replace,” he said.

According to Kneisl, the gas crisis did not begin on February 24. “Last year, LNG ships from Qatar and North America, as well as Rotterdam and other European ports, went east because Asian customers paid a better price,” said the former head of the diplomatic department.

He also noted that Europeans are increasingly disillusioned with the policies pursued by the authorities, which could provoke mass unrest and anti-government protests. As an example, he cited the actions of the “yellow vests” movement in France in the fall of 2018.

“EU as an extension of American politics”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with students and teachers of Belarusian State University the previous day. declaration About the fall of Europe. According to him, the European Union has already lost its independence, and almost all its members are happy that “the Americans are responsible for everything” and that all decisions are “to a large extent dictated by Washington”. The minister is confident that previous hopes that the EU will become one of the poles of the multipolar world have not come true.

Not to mention NATO, a purely American organization. And the European Union has become such an extension of American policy in Europe, to our great regret,” he said.

The EU itself is currently suffering from anti-Russian sanctions, as the US has imposed restrictions in a way that “doesn’t do too much damage to its economy”.

In the future, European leaders must decide whether they want to remain “servants of the game Washington started” or “have normal prices for gas, electricity, food, and think of their citizens in general”.

“Yes, the decline of Europe, even though Europe is the closest civilization to us, I would say that. Culture, art, literature – we have always mutually enriched each other, and it is a pity that now it is considered European to demand the ban on the teaching of Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Lermontov in educational institutions, ”summarized Lavrov.