N. Peter Kramer’s Weekly Column
Bart De Wever became the objective Brussels ally of Russian trolls and analysts, the best European asset of American diplomats, and the last man standing in the way of Ukraine’s rescue for the German chancellor. He finds himself at the epicentre of the geopolitical clash between Europe, Russia and the US. Everyone is now unabashedly practicing ‘realpolitik’.
European government leaders no longer dare to support Ukraine on a large scale with their taxpayers’ money. The US has cut off funding for Ukraine, but will continue to deliver arms if Europe pays for it. That is the reason, the EU is now threatening Belgium, a founding member of the EU and one of the most pro-European countries, with sidelining it by a qualified majority to confiscate the Russian assets. Germany, France, and the Commission are playing with the rule of law and jeopardising the ownership of money. The eagerness of the German tandem Commission President Von der Leyen and Chancellor Merz to seize the in Belgium located Russian assets removes crucial brakes. But Moscow has sent harsh warnings to Belgium about the Russian assets.
And the US? Trump like to use the Russian assets in a different way and told the EU to keep their hands of it. The relation between the two is anyhow on a low level. In the recently published National Security Strategy the US has declared itself a strong criticiser of the EU and almost all its governments. In an interview with Politico, President Trump called the NSS his political roadmap.
The EU together with former memberstate UK stand alone in backing Ukraine. Trump tries to force a deal about the Ukrainian war, talking with Russia and separately with President Zelensky; the European allies of Ukraine are ‘allowed’ to watch. Meanwhile the war goes on and Ukraine is on the losing end. President Putin? He is cherishing his Greater Russia dream.
