Luxembourg’s foreign minister says Ukraine is not Russia’s enemy, it is democracy that is the enemy
Luxembourg’s foreign minister says Ukraine is not Russia’s enemy, it is democracy that is the enemy
During 25-28 April, Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Esselborn met Foreign Minister S. Visited India to hold talks with Jaishankar. The visiting side also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The senior diplomat was instrumental in imposing sanctions on Russian entities and individuals shortly after 24 February when Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. The visit to Delhi is significant, he said, remarking that Europeans should also remember the ongoing conflicts in other parts of the world. Excerpts from an interview:
What was the first item on the agenda of talks in India?
The first item was Ukraine. The war on Ukraine started on 24 February but it really changed the world because it is an invasion against the rules of international law. If it is tolerated, it can happen in other parts of the world as well.
In my assessment, Ukraine is not the enemy of Russia, it is democracy that is the enemy. Democracy is one where justice is impartial and national and international rule of law is respected. The enemy of Russia is the democratic system in which we live. This also makes it too complicated for the future.
In foreign policy, a problem is solved by a set of alternatives. But no one here knows what is on his mind? [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. If it has Ukraine then countries like Georgia, Moldova and even the Baltic countries could be on the line. This is not just a fight for Ukraine, it is a fight for us in the EU and democracy.
Can the EU guarantee the independence of smaller non-EU/NATO countries like Moldova?
It is not possible to guarantee their independence. That’s the problem because Georgia and Moldova are not members of NATO. Article 5 of the NATO Charter is invoked if a NATO member is attacked but not in the case of Moldova. But we should not forget diplomacy even in this situation. Before 24 January, we offered to speak to Russia about the security framework. Everyone agreed that Russia should be on the table but Mr Putin refused. NATO had no intention of attacking Russia and none of the NATO countries had this in mind.
After the 2007 Munich Conference, did Europe misconstrue Russian intentions?
We never wanted Russia to end talks and diplomacy. We formed a NATO Russia Council in 1997. Its purpose was to build better relations with Russia. Even after Georgia in 2008, NATO and Russia came together to discuss. Russia opposes NATO expansion but has been a member of the European Union [EU] Since 2004 they cannot be ruled out if they want to become a member of NATO. After that date only Macedonia and Montenegro became members of NATO. There were no plans to press a button and make Ukraine a member of NATO in 2022. The Russian justification for ‘disclaimer’ in Ukraine is insane. No one believes in this. He attacked because of the democratic status of Ukraine.
The criticism of Western sanctions is that they are also hurting other economies like India.
Sanctions always involve collateral damage. we know this. But if we cannot respond militarily, sanctions are the only way to respond. Sanctions are the result of the war in Ukraine and it is not the other way around. Without a sanctions-like response, the world would hand over the strongest armies. All medical equipment is excluded but we are targeting Russia’s hi-tech sector, coal and gas. There is no substitute for restrictions.
But how will the EU prevent its own member states from hurting sanctions as well, especially in the energy sector?
Germany is stuck here. Germany is the engine of growth in the European Union and they had strong energy ties with Russia. For decades they have used Russian gas. We now have an option to diversify in the first phase and then go carbon-neutral as soon as possible. We are in a very difficult transition period in Europe.
Why not try peace talks instead of finding a long-term energy solution?
That’s what we were trying to do in the beginning. UN Security General Antonio Guterres said, “You have to stop this war.” but [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey] “It’s too early,” said Lavrov. It’s not easy. I really don’t know how Moscow functions. I really hoped that Mr. Lavrov could stop it because he is a diplomat and he knows what international law is and how the United Nations works.
You belong to the generation that bore the brunt of the war in Europe. Are these signs that nationalism is on the rise in Europe?
This sounds terrible to me. The war in Ukraine dispelled a lot of confusion. We had the illusion that tanks and missiles would not return to Europe because of UN principles. Before World War II we saw nationalist tendencies in Europe, so it is important that Marine Le Pen does not win in France. Mr Putin has attacked a country saying that he, a Ukrainian, has no right to live as a Ukrainian. We are seeing pictures of Le Pen and many others across Europe with ideological ties with Mr. Putin. Sometimes diplomacy is not enough to stop a war.