MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. Europeans should begin reflecting on the potential trajectory of the Ukraine conflict, as they currently lack any good "moves," Andrey Sushentsov, Dean of the School of International Relations at MGIMO University and a member of the Scientific Advisory Council under the Russian Security Council, told TASS.
"Europeans lack the military and technological resources, as well as the strategic thinking and awareness of their own interests comparable to those of the Americans, which would allow them to weigh causes and consequences, determine what can and cannot be achieved through military means, and define Europe's interest in this crisis," he said.
"The course toward a years-long confrontation with their largest neighbor, which was a source of many benefits that the European economy has now lost, demonstrates the narrowness of their vision. Domestic political processes in Europe show that, following the Americans' lead, it is time for Europeans to reflect on their interests, what is achievable in the Ukrainian crisis and what is not, and what the trajectory might be. For now, Europeans have no good 'moves,' " Sushentsov noted.
The expert pointed out that while Europeans still possess a substantial financial instrument, it is essentially the only tool at their disposal. "They are managing it wastefully: the domestic debt of most major European states is approaching or exceeding 100% of GDP. They cannot obtain external compensation for military costs, and there is no hope for a Ukrainian victory. If there were hope, they would count on recovering losses at the expense of Russian resources and through new deals with Russia on new terms. None of these hopes are being realized," he added.
"Moreover, due to a lack of strategic experience – lost due to American patronage and the nuclear umbrella – Europeans are beginning to deny their own geography, denying that Russia shares the continent with them. Geography is a constant, a part of the foreign policy system that cannot be changed. Governments and historical circumstances change, but geography remains immutable," Sushentsov said.