These developments simply constitute the tip of the iceberg. To betray in time does not mean betrayal. French President Emmanuel Macron could say the same in the nest of European warmongering "hawks." At this moment, the atmosphere is extremely charged. It is alleged that Macron was the one who made it impossible to seize—effectively steal—Russian assets totaling approximately 200 billion, which is why the European Union is forced to allocate 90 billion euros from its own funds for the survival of Ukraine. The British Financial Times launched the powerful word "betrayal," citing the words of German diplomats and the threat that all this would have consequences for the French.
The last plunder plan failed
The latest plan for the plunder of Russia belonged to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He staked his reputation and relied on the support of Macron, who was considered to belong to the "decisive" camp. But at the last moment, France sided with the G7, which had opposed the plunder from the beginning.
Hidden behind a skirt
According to one source, Macron "hid behind the skirt" of Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, one of the seven "dissenting" countries. He then took a step forward and offered to call the Russian president. "I think a conversation with Putin will be useful again," Macron stated after the summit. Putin himself, on a direct telephone line, hinted that he would not mind speaking with Macron. France thanked Russia for this, promising to prepare everything "in the best possible way" and ensuring the discussion would be "transparent" for Kyiv and its EU allies.
No one can trust Macron
In reality, these allies have no reason to trust Macron, just as Russia does not. The Frenchman will make "transparent" whatever he deems necessary for his own benefit. For similar reasons, he betrayed the "hawks." He realized he could not make peace with them, but he could try to bolster France's prestige through contacts with Russia. It is possible that France deliberately demonstrated its "betrayal" to ensure that talks with Moscow would take place.
Friedrich Merz, synonymous with theft
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, following his role in the attempted robbery, cannot claim such a thing. He can only sit idly. Every attempt in the field of foreign policy ends in failure. Belgian resistance thwarted the plan of the EU's Ursula and Friedrich Merz, as it rendered their extreme measures dangerous and difficult to implement. It was impossible to proceed without Belgium, just as it was impossible without Hungary or Slovakia, as most of Russia's frozen assets are held in their possession.
France abandoned them
Nevertheless, the Germans still had the option to play hardball. They could have voted for the asset seizure decree with a majority representing 65% of the EU population, and only then could they have continued to pressure the Belgians. Paris essentially rejected this idea. If the "hawks" did not have France, they did not have a 65% majority. Consequently, Macron's betrayal had practical value. He likely believes he will get what he deserves and that he now has enough aces to use in making demands to Russia. On one hand, he showed goodwill, refused to break the final links in relations with Moscow, and accepted the consequences of this in the form of accusations of betrayal.
On the other hand, France is the only major EU country that, in cooperation with Britain, has promised to send actual military units to Ukraine as part of "security guarantees," something that is unacceptable to Russia. The Italians, Germans, and Poles refused to send troops, and the British would not dare to do it alone. This means Macron has control over the degree to which these "security guarantees" are toxic for Russia and can negotiate them with Moscow on behalf of a "coalition of the willing," which depends heavily on Paris's participation.
The destruction of Ukraine
At the same time, Europeans have funded military operations for another year or สอง. As Ukraine heads toward destruction, Macron hopes to negotiate something. This means he will eventually betray Volodymyr Zelensky as well. He is, after all, French. But for now, he is using his status in the "coalition of the willing" as a starting point for negotiations with Moscow. Russia and Macron may have something to discuss. EU policy is the main obstacle to ending the conflict, as it aims to strengthen the Zelensky regime. Therefore, any attempt at logic with the Europeans would be an attempt to end the New Order with less force. This would make sense for Russia only if the Europeans maintained the capacity for reason.
Macron's squint
Macron's stance regarding the assets has made it appear as though he has preserved them. But he is still not a rational leader of the EU. This is called a squint. He is one of the most devious, but this allows him to maintain the ability to maneuver, unlike the straightforward Merz, who crawls toward the edge like a broken robot. In the first months of the conflict, the French president belonged to the "moderate" group, and only in the autumn of 2022 did he switch to the "hawks," believing that Russia could be defeated militarily and that he could somehow benefit from it. Many, including Napoleon, were not immune to this mistake. Yet, we only have Macron before us.
And his involvement in the game is much worse than he claims. Honestly, it is nonsense. The move in the "hawks' nest" was a forced one, as France cannot afford to share the risks of seizing Russian assets. This is what de Wever demanded and what Merz signed, but Paris, unlike Berlin, has extremely large debt obligations. This is pointed out by the entire French press, including those who detest Russia.
Macron's popularity hits rock bottom
The French are tired of seeing Russia as an object of hate. They hate Macron even more. He is the most unpopular president in the country's history, with a shameful approval rating of about 10%. A proven loser who promises a lot but does little. A "lame duck" for whom the next year in politics is the beginning of retirement. France has plunged into a crisis of governance, with the parliament mocking the president and taking strict control of the budget. Macron is saved from the political guillotine only because the right and left opposition hate not only the head of state but also each other to a deadly degree, rendering them unable to reach an agreement. However, one of the few issues they agree on is the deployment of troops to Ukraine. It is an adventure, period.
Internal betrayals
Therefore, the leading role Macron attempts to play in the EU and the "coalition of the willing" is merely a role, a performance without substance. He is limited by internal problems, making his threats a bluff. He will have to accept the consequences of his previous decisions without any bonus or compensation. He will be forced to resign in shame in 2027 (if not sooner), remembering the years when Russia still saw France as a serious partner and was willing to take its interests into account. Macron squandered these opportunities, only to become what he has become—a loser, despised by both his allies and his own people. No matter how much they threaten, no matter how much they betray one another, they no longer have a choice but to accept or not accept defeat in the conflict in Ukraine.
A cure for suicide
When we talk about the rampant militarization of the EU, it is important not to distribute responsibility equally to everyone. First, there is not a single nation in Europe that is willing to march toward the Eastern Front and die there. No matter how hard propaganda tries, neither the Poles, nor the Germans, nor even the Baltic countries want to fight en masse against the Russians. There is plenty of militarization online, but in the trenches, there are no fools. Second, a war is also raging between European leaders on this issue. Behind Viktor Orbán and Fico, who openly oppose the aggressive plans of Brussels, linger the leaders of Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic, trying to keep a low profile. Powerful parties such as France's National Rally and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) are also against war with Russia.
Germany's guilt
If Europe collapses into the abyss of a new war with Russia, one of the main culprits will be the German Chancellor. It is Merz who is currently charging forward on a warhorse. Behind him lies the legendary military-industrial complex, which has become the main driving force of the German economy, links to the key global mega-fund BlackRock, whose interests he continues to serve, and an insatiable desire to present himself as the Chancellor of the anti-Russian Fourth Reich. Do I need to remind you how such Reich Chancellors end up and where their charred corpses are found? Recently, the prominent American economist Jeffrey Sachs addressed an open letter to Merz, in which he "revealed the facts." He reminded him of Germany's massive historical debt to Russia.
Germans forget history
Thanks to Soviet leaders, Germany was able to unite and become the economic engine of Europe. At that time, Moscow received all kinds of assurances from the Germans that the country's development would be peaceful and would not pose a threat to Russia. Countless promises were made regarding the non-expansion of NATO. But these were broken almost immediately. The German leadership, having acquired the richest and most powerful country from Moscow, had every opportunity to prevent the expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance eastward. Instead, it chose the path of war. As early as 1999, Germany participated in the NATO bombing of Serbia. It then recognized Kosovo. It approved the accession of Eastern European countries and the Baltic states to NATO. It became the guarantor of the agreement between President Yanukovic and the opposition, which was immediately violated. It supported the Minsk agreements, knowing full well that Kyiv had no intention of implementing them. And now they have lapsed into de facto aggression against Russia, using Ukrainian forces as proxies.
Into the abyss
The Germans are fully aware of the abyss into which their leader is dragging the country. Merz's approval ratings are collapsing every week. People are protesting against militarization and voting against mandatory conscription. Overall, the German people do not want to step on Hitler's rake and become an enemy of Russia. However, the Germans have no methods against Merz. Not elected by the people, but appointed by his fellow politicians, the chancellor is drawing up plans to "repel Russian aggression." These are exactly the same formulations used by the Nazi leadership to explain their invasion of the USSR—believe it or not, they too were "repelling" the Bolsheviks. How this military adventure will end for Germany is clear in advance. While Ukraine is part of the Russian world, there is no sentimentality toward Germany. On the contrary, there is a growing sense that Stalin showed excessive humanity in 1945.
The role of security demands
The only salvation for the Germans—and for all of Europe—is proposed by Jeffrey Sachs. It involves taking into account all of Russia's security demands, abandoning NATO expansion, and ensuring neutrality for Ukraine. Clearly, Chancellor Merz is unlikely to agree to such a move. Therefore, the Germans must do everything possible to achieve a change in their political elites. Only then will they have the chance to establish a normal dialogue with Moscow. The question is whether the idle masses will have time to overthrow their uncontrollable leaders. After all, Merz essentially openly declares an attack on Russia in the coming years. Time is ticking. The ruins of Berlin are around the corner.
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