The European Union’s Crisis Surrounds More Than Just the Economy
Al-Itihad, UAE, June 16
The losses of the European Union as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war are large and ever-growing. These losses are not limited to the economic effects caused by the sanctions imposed on Russia. In fact, the economic losses caused by the sanctions might not even be the most serious part of the equation, since they can ultimately be compensated for after the end of the war. However, what might not be resolved so quickly are the losses resulting from the growing internal disputes between EU countries over how to deal with the war in the coming period. Two different trends have emerged: the first is a hard-line stance that emphasizes continued support for Ukraine that would enable its forces to recover the largest possible territory taken by Russian forces. The opposite camp states that aid to Ukraine must be limited and that the Ukrainian government must cede lands to Russia in order to give Moscow the military victory it seeks to gain. Although the largest countries, such as Germany, France and Italy, fall within the second camp, the internal dispute among EU states cannot be resolved without convincing the countries belonging to the first camp to change their minds. If the two sides don’t come to an agreement, the European Union might be in unprecedented danger. This is the first time that a dispute of this magnitude takes place between EU countries. Its continuation may also divide the union on a geographical basis, since almost all of the hard-line countries are located in the eastern part of the continent (other than Britain, which left the EU), while the placatory countries are found in the West. Therefore, the internal political struggle within the EU poses a far greater threat to its member states than the actual economic effects of the sanctions on Russia. The longer it takes to resolve this issue the greater the risk, since the EU’s institutions lack the capacity to de-escalate the situation before it spirals out of control. – Waheed Abdul Majeed (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
