Brutal empires, be it ๐ท๐บ,๐ฌ๐งor๐ซ๐ท, rode roughshod over peoples aspirations. Nation-states birthed in 19th century were formed through myth & forced expulsions
๐ช๐บ respects national feelings while making arbitrary borders irrelevant
For ๐ท๐บto accuse ๐ช๐บof colonialism is laughable.
The #RussianEmpire, unlike others, never had to decolonialise because it was a contiguous land empire that could later hide behind a supposed common ideology. But ๐ท๐บhas never stopped being a colonial empire. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_iโฆ
The EUโs detractors who long for old days of imperial glory, be they in ๐ท๐บ,๐ฌ๐ง,๐ซ๐ท or anywhere else, are looking backwards.
They accuse ๐ช๐บ of being what they themselves want, but with their own people dominating others. They abhor ๐ช๐บ because it stands in the way of that dream.
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Extraordinary speech by ๐ช๐บForeign Affairs High Rep @JosepBorrellF saying out loud what member states have opposed him &predecessors saying since position was created in 2009
Capitals jealously guarding their power &information has hobbled ๐ช๐บon world stage europa.eu/!d8dMvC
Immediately after they agreed to create an EU foreign affairs minister and ministry, to give Europe more voice & sovereignty, national capitals worked to undermine the position.
First they insisted it be given an unwieldy title (High Representative for Foreign Affairs). Then...
National governments purposefully 1st appointed a weak unknown novice, Catherine Ashton, whose tenure was an embarrassment
Since then they have done everything to keep High Rep in the dark ¬ give them robust mandates. Then they complain Europe isn't treated as a global player
The big question: what the hell is this thing? The answer depends on what happens tomorrow in a battle between ๐ฌ๐ง&๐ซ๐ท. ๐งต1/9
The idea is that this is a wider European bloc which will include countries not in the EU, either because theyโre waiting to join, they donโt want to join, or theyโve left (๐ฌ๐ง).
But there are already such groupings, like the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and the OECD in Paris.
Whatโs the point of the EPC then?
The idea is that, unlike CoE & OECD, this will be a forum for heads of state and government to meet and discuss major issues.
Such leader meetings donโt happen in those other organisations.
A refresher: #EuropeanPoliticalCommunity is ๐ซ๐ทPresident @EmmanuelMacron's idea for a forum larger than ๐ช๐บ where European issues can be discussed. An 'outer ring'
This 1st EPC summit in Prague next Thursday, with ๐ช๐บ27 leaders plus invited ๐บ๐ฆ๐น๐ท๐ฌ๐ง๐ณ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฐ๐จ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฝ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ช๐ท๐ธ, will have to answer many questions.
The first: what the hell is the EPC? And how would it be different from the Council of Europe in Strasbourg? Nobody yet knows.
Now confirmed: ๐ช๐บCommission is *not* putting a proposal to cap gas prices on the table for tomorrow's emergency meeting of energy ministers.
In the working document circulated to capitals, the Commission warns that the idea, pushed by 15 countries, would do more harm than good.
The pro-cap countries, who between them would have a qualified majority for approval, are angry no proposal has emerged from the Commission (who must initiate legislation for it to be approved)
Wealthy countries that could afford the higher gas prices are opposed to the cap. There is fear the gas will just go elsewhere on global market to countries willing to pay more.
"Last week #Russia has escalated the war in #Ukraine to a new level. The sham referenda organized in the territories that ๐ท๐บ occupied, are an illegal attempt to grab land and change intl borders by force"
"We do not accept the sham referenda," says ๐ช๐บPresident @VonDerLeyen, "or any type of annexation in Ukraine."
"And we are determined to make the Kremlin pay for this further escalation."
๐ โโ๏ธ1300 more people & entities on targeted list
๐"Sweeping" ban on Russian imports worth โฌ7bn
๐พMore key technologies banned from export to Russia
๐ด๏ธBan on EU nationals on Russian company boards
๐ข๏ธPrice cap on Russian oil for 3rd countries
Latest on the suspected Russian attack on Baltic Sea gas pipelines:
There is now a consensus that the ๐ฉ๐ฐPM's assessment is correct, this was deliberate sabotage. The question is, how can ๐ช๐บ respond to a Russian attack in EU waters?