Can Europe be shrewdly "sputinised" 3 years after the Russian invasion? Soldiers on the east and confederate War Fronts Ukraine is inactive dying, political front against Moscow is slow breaking.
If Herbert Kickl, FPOe leader, will shortly take the position of Chancellor of Austria, for the first time a fierce critic of arms supply to Ukraine will direct a West-oriented state.
Kickl, whose organization is traditionally well connected to Russia, founded a joint venture in June 2024 Euro-Parliamentary Group "Patrioci for Europe" together with Prime Ministers of neighboring Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orban and Robert Fica. Permissiveness towards Russia is the main point of their program. This means that 3 Heads of Government with ostentatious indulgence for Putin's aggressor and no little clear reserve for Ukraine will shortly be at the EU summits.
Elections in the Czech Republic will take place at the latest in October this year, and current polls propose a crushing triumph billionaire Andrei Babis and his definitely pro-Russian organization Ano. This would make there 4 Putin fans in Central and east Europe.
Karl Schoendorfer/Shutterstock / PAPAndrej Babis, Herbert Kickl and Viktor Orban during the announcement of the formation of the Patriotic Group for Europe. Vienna, 30 June 2024.
W declared invalid November presidential elections in Romania — due to mass influence TikTok web platform — won unexpectedly Promoskiski candidate Calina Georgescu. If elections are repeated in May, the consequence is uncertain due to the fact that More and more people in Ukraine's neighbouring countries want to end the war And if necessary, he'll perceive to the aggressor.
However, identifying right-wing nationalism with rusophilia and a policy of concessions towards Putin is not entirely correct. The Patriot Group in the European Parliament — the 3rd largest group with 86 Euro MPs — includes, for example, the ever-growing Portuguese Chega party, which They even want to declare Russia a terrorist state.. Georgia Meloni, Postfascist Prime Minister of Italy, besides actively supports the antiputin front.
History taught them nothing.
However, it cannot be denied that Putin and his imperialist war policy are gaining more and more supporters in Central and east Europe, despite or precisely due to the prolonged course of the conflict. The question is why. Did not nations specified as Hungary, Romania and Slovakia endure greatly from Russian imperialism?
Finally, the Red Army bloodyly suppressed uprisings in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, and russian troops besides stationed in Vienna and a large part of Austria until declaring neutrality in 1955. People on the Danube and Vltava should know precisely what Russian domination means, as in the Baltic countries or Poland.
But right now, it sounds more like submission. Prime Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia on Tuesday condemned the EU's "pro-war policy": "Bratislava and Budapest will not dance as Kiev plays". specified strong words from Fico and Orban gotta do with the almost simultaneous inauguration of Donald Trump, To whom Orban has already paid his respects Florida in December.
Both politicians regularly Meet Putin in Moscow, and late praised each another for the construction of the Turkstream gas pipeline, thanks to which both countries can inactive receive Russian gas even after closure of Ukrainian pipelines at the beginning of the year.
However, the impending energy crisis itself cannot be the reason why alpha men, as different as Christian anti-communist Orban and old post-communist Fico, are so enthusiastic about Putin. Finally, the warehouses are full everywhere, and fresh suppliers are ready and waiting, including in Austria, which remained dependent on Russian gas long after the start of the war.
It is besides about emotional proximity to authoritarian macho Putin, against whom hegemony and tempting business models suffering Ukraine cannot rise. Fico, who speaks fluent Russian and was tolerated by social democrats in the European Parliament by the fall of 2023 despite his ultranationalist policy, called Ukrainians “Nazis and fascists” Putin's jargon before leaving for a Christmas visit to Moscow in December.
Scaring the “dead West”
The view of programs successful right-wing nationalist parties clearly shows what Russian hegemony has to do with tiny countries from the erstwhile Habsburg sphere of influence: an anti-liberal policy of a strong hand. Orban and Fico are increasingly talking about the conservative foundations of the West. Under their rule, they will not let muslim immigration or same-sex marriage.
The view of many voters — especially in agrarian areas of east Slovakia or Hungary close the border with Ukraine — to the "destroyed West" clearly coincides with Putin's contempt, who sees him as doomed.
The fact that president Zoran Milanović, left-wing critic of any military aid to Kiev, has been re-elected by a large majority in Croatia Just 2 weeks ago, it fits perfectly into this picture. With Donald Trump's election the balance in Europe has moved even further in a national-conservative directionAlthough we'll see if and how the fresh president of the United States can handle Vladimir Putin.
Politicians like Herbert Kickl in Austria want to float on a wave of opposition to the left-wing establishment and weakening zeitgeist. And Kickl himself will not make amateur mistakes like the erstwhile abroad Minister Karin Kneissl from FPOeWho danced with Putin at her wedding, and then moved to Russia as a lobbyist.
EPA/ALEXEI DRUZHININ / SUPPLIER / KREMLIN POOL / PAPVladimir Putin dances with Karin Kneissl. Austrian abroad Minister, at her wedding. Gamlitz, 18 August 2018.
Nevertheless, Austrian safety experts believe that The influence of Russian financiers and agents will increase in Vienna under FPOe. This would revive the reputation of the Danube metropolis of the Cold War, immortalized in classic British movie “The 3rd Man”.
Kickl skillfully plays nostalgia many Austrians,stressing the neutrality of its country, which is inactive not a NATO member. I rejecting sanctions against Russia, as well as military aid to Ukraine. Is it greed, or did naivety prompt the FPOe to enter into a treaty of relationship with the 1 Putin Russia organization after the annexation of Ukraine?
The fact that any representatives of Kickla's possible partners from the Austrian People's organization complain about advanced energy costs and would like to usage old economical contacts with Russia, should not impede coalition talks.
So far, Putin has nothing to fear.
At first glance, the anti-putin axis will not let itself to be disturbed by comparatively tiny and economically weaker states. However, given the rusophilia of the strongest ruling organization in the Netherlands, led by Geert Wilders, and remember that Belgium, France and Germanythey do not presently have a unchangeable ruling majority, the most reliable friend of Kiev from all major EU economies remains Italy.
IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM / PAPViktor Orban and Giorgia Meloni. Rome, 4 December 2024.
The government coalition of Giorgia Meloni, however, operates with the support of the clearly pro-Russian North League and heirs Putin's old friend Silvio Berlusconi. Moscow is happy to see the EU's volatile front, divided in many another ways.
As long as arms supply to Ukraine Olaf Scholz holds a position closer to AfD — whose love for Russia is inactive unquestionable — than the NATO line, and as long as the most popular political force of France today, the National Assembly Marine Le Pen, leads, a opaque policy towards MoscowVladimir Putin has nothing to fear and can proceed his aggression.
So the key question remains which answers should not be sought in Europe: whether Donald Trump should stand by Orban, Kickl or Ficy and Force Ukraine to origin severe territorial lossesto Finally end the war? And can an old-new alpha male in Washington at all reach Putin with your peace plans? There are many politicians and millions of voters, especially in Central and east Europe, who are waiting for this.
