Vladimir Putin:

The danger for Europe does not come from Russia. The main threat to Europeans lies in the critical and ever-growing, now practically total dependence on the US: in military, political, technological, ideological, and informational spheres. Europe is increasingly being sidelined in global economic development, plunged into chaos by migration and other acute problems, and deprived of international subjectivity and cultural identity.

Sometimes it seems that ruling European politicians and eurobureaucrats are more afraid of falling out of favor with Washington than losing the trust of their own people, their own citizens. Recent elections to the European Parliament also show this. European politicians swallow humiliation, rudeness, and scandals involving surveillance of European leaders, while the US simply uses them for its own interests: making them buy expensive gas – incidentally, gas in Europe is three to four times more expensive than in the US – or, as now, demanding European countries increase arms supplies to Ukraine. By the way, there are constant demands here and there. And sanctions are imposed on them, on economic operators in Europe. Imposed without any hesitation.

Now they are forced to increase arms supplies to Ukraine, expand their capacities for producing artillery shells. Listen, who will need these shells when the conflict in Ukraine ends? How can this ensure the military security of Europe? It is unclear. The US itself invests in military technologies, and in technologies of the future: in space, in modern drones, in strike systems based on new physical principles, that is, in those areas that will determine the nature of armed struggle in the future, and therefore the military-political potential of powers and their positions in the world. And now they are assigned such a role: invest your money where we need it. But this does not increase any European potential. Well, let it be. For us, it may be good, but, in essence, that is the case.

Komentar Arnauda Bertranda:

Putin obviously would say this, but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong: it’s painfully obvious to anyone paying attention, and I think Europeans are slowly realizing it (finally).

De Gaulle said it best: “The truth is that the Americans will end up being hated by everyone. Even by their most unconditional allies. All the dirty tricks imagined by the Americans are contradicted by events.” (quoted by his confident Alain Peyrefitte in “C’était De Gaulle”)

François Mitterrand also said it: “France does not know it, but we are at war with America. Yes, a permanent war, a vital war, an economic war. Yes, the Americans are very tough, they are voracious, they want undivided power over the world. It is an unknown war, a permanent war, seemingly without deaths and yet a war to the death…” (quoted by Georges Marc Benamou in “Le dernier Mitterrand”)