Tuesday, July 29, 2014

EU Adopts New Anti-Russian Sanctions to Favor US Military Industry - Experts
Ukraine checkpoint amid escalating tensions.
July 28, 17:24 UTC+4
Tamara Zamyatina

MOSCOW, July 28./ITAR-TASS/. The European Union expands anti-Russian sanctions against its own interests under tough pressure from the US in favour of the American military-industrial complex, say experts polled by ITAR-TASS.

“This week, the EU is going to expand and toughen anti-Russian measures. This is obviously an operation staged by Washington that used the Malaysian airliner downed in Ukraine with most of its passengers being Europeans as an excuse to defeat Russia,” said director of the department for strategic analysis and developments at sanctioned Vnesheconombank Vladimir Andrianov. “The unprecedented propaganda campaign against Russia has turned the public in the Old World against Russia to such an extent that politicians are afraid of looking indecisive and losing voters' support to blindly take the cue from the US”

“The European Union has no chance to withstand US pressure over anti-Russian measures,” the expert told ITAR-TASS. “Washington overtly interferes with Russian-EU gas supply talks and blackmails France over its contract on helicopter carrier Mistral supplies to Russia. It means the US flagrantly pursues its own policy in Europe and appoints its own people to key posts in the EU.”

“The EU countries now experience a deficit of strong leaders; the European governments are weak. Meanwhile, the EU bureaucratic machine proves incompetent in issues of global politics and economy, and totally dependent on the US will,” Andrianov said. “The fact that even German Chancellor Angela Merkel suddenly switched tactics after several months of moderate approach shows European leaders’ dependence on the US Washington keeps a record of all prominent politicians. It certainly has blackmail against Merkel as it’s no coincidence her cellphone was bugged by US special services. For this reason, the German chancellor yielded to pressure from Washington.”

“All US foreign policy starting from Vietnam was tailored to military needs. Amid global competition, the US as the world’s gendarme cannot bear the thought that Russia remains the only major geopolitical opponent it cannot control,” the expert said.

Washington aims to arm the Ukrainian army with modern weapons and equipment and pull Russia into confrontation with Ukraine, Andrianov believes.

“For this purpose, the US Congress plans to recognise Ukraine as a major non-NATO ally and provide the country with direct military aid. The S.2277 - Russian Aggression Prevention Act of 2014 - has passed two readings in the US Both are clearly aimed to serve the interests of the US military-industrial complex in order to kindle the fire in Europe and line US pockets on weapon supplies to the crisis zone,” Andrianov said.

“The scenario of pulling Russia into armed conflict with Ukraine is so dangerous that it is just unacceptable,” dean of the Higher School of Economics Faculty for World Economy and International Affairs Sergey Karaganov told ITAR-TASS. “But the EU sanctions already announced and those on the table mean that the large-scale US anti-Russian campaign caused by the Boeing's downing in Ukraine bears fruit.”

“US pressure for the EU to adopt anti-Russian sanctions is aimed to split Europe, weaken Germany and inflict as grave damage as possible on Russia and deprive the country of its power in the world,” the expert said.

“Europe blindly obeys the US and imposes anti-Russian sanctions as EU welfare directly relies on the US in financial terms, Deputy Director of Russia's Academy of Sciences Institute for the USA and Canadian Studies Major General Pavel Zolotarev told ITAR-TASS. “In terms of security policy, the EU is peaceful under the US umbrella. Washington bears the lion’s share of NATO spending, enabling the EU countries to reduce defense spending to two percent of gross domestic product.”

“EU countries lay out 6-7 times more for education and healthcare than defense,” the analyst added. “Russia cannot afford such budget distribution, while EU countries can do it thanks to the US Hence their obedience to Washington.

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