Russian military power is an answer to its political weakness, say defence MEPs
The fragile security situation in the post-Soviet space and Russian influence was debated by security and defence MEPs and experts in a hearing on Monday.
Post-Soviet space is faced with many security challenges, such as Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine or Georgia, frozen conflicts in Nagorno Karabakh and Transnistria, noted Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia (European External Action Service). He said that peace, stability and prosperity, as well as building resilience, fighting cyber threats and reforming security sector, is the strongest EU asset it can offer to Eastern Neighbourhood countries.
James Sherr, Associate Fellow at Chatham House in London, quoted Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, who after the war in Georgia in 2008 said, that “this is our part of the world”. Mr. Sherr said that Russian elite does not believe that the spread of the liberal democracy and the rule of law is to the benefit of Russia. EU’s eastern partnership policy will have to survive antagonistic conditions, he added.
His view was complemented by András Racz, Associate Professor at Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest, and Anna Maria Dyner, the analyst at the Polish Institute of International relations. They said that from Russian perspective a war in Georgia and Ukraine was a success as it prevented those countries joining NATO. In addition military campaign in Syria managed Russia to make the great power again, therefore there is no reason to believe that it will stop its aggressive stance. They also mentioned the upcoming joint Russian and Belarussian military drill “ZAPAD 2017”, stressing it to be one of the Russian attempts to keep Belarus under control. However asked by security and defence MEPs, if Russia is likely to maintain some troops in Belarus after the military exercise, Ms Dyner doubted it could be the case.
The majority of MEPs on the security and defence subcommittee shared the views of the experts adding that Russia is weak economically and politically and tries to compensate it with military power, threats, violence and war. They wondered if Russia in the long-term perspective is ready to bear a huge military cost maintaining these conflicts.
You can watch the recording of the debate via Video on Demande.