A 'Puppet in Putin's Hands,' Snowden Paved Way to Ukraine
Crisis (Rzeczpospolita, Poland)
"The opening of shale gas exports from the U.S. to Europe,
and Europe’s emancipation from GAZPROM, is Putin's
biggest nightmare, and is an issue addressed under the Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership ... It is important that the Snowden scandal acts as an
incentive to finding a solution, rather than as a pretext for killing the
agreement. ... Today, from the perspective of Russia’s aggression against
Ukraine, the purpose of the Snowden affair is clear. By revealing information
that triggered European concern, Snowden was really a puppet in Putin’s hands.
Through his revelations he was to stir protests in Europe against TTIP."
Did Russian President Vladmimir Putin use Edward Snowden to scuttle a free trade deal between the United States and Europe, thus preventing U.S. natural gas from undermining Russia's leverage in Europe? Polish lawmaker Pawel Zalewski lays out the details.
The Kremlin can
continue playing Cold War and turning Russia into a post-Soviet open-air
museum. If it does, its only argument for dealing with the outside world will
be the atomic bomb, since it can kiss its 'natural gas weapon' good-bye, writes
Citizens’ Platform European Parliament MP PawełZalewski.
The
era of post Cold War peace is over. Russian aggression in Crimea means
something more than annexation of the peninsula. Vladimir Putin’s goals go much
further than subjugating Ukraine. After gaining the upper hand over the European
Union, Putin wants to chip away at it and force solutions beneficial to
himself, using blackmail or buying off individual member countries. Are we, the
Western Community, defenseless against the determined policies of the
aggressor? In no way!
Threats and
destabilization
Several
years ago, experts realized that the model of Russian development, which
depended on importing modern technology in exchange for funds gleaned from the
export of natural resources, wasn't working. Russia hasn't modernized, while
its extensive economic growth based on the sale of oil and natural gas has
reinforced its autocratic system. On the other hand, the European Union has
continued to integrate and has begun to resist the Kremlin’s all-out
exploitation of the E.U.'s Central European members.
Proceedings have begun against GAZPROM for its monopolistic practices, challenges are
being mounted to the legal basis for building the South
Stream Pipeline, and construction has begun of new connections between gas
delivery systems. The continuation of such policies by Europe forces GAZPROM
to compete in other regions, which will translate into a radical reduction of
GAZPROM profits.
GAZPROM revenue is Russia’s main source of
wealth. Therefore, the Kremlin has to mount a counter-offensive. It must gain
the upper hand in order to frighten and splinter the European Union. That is why
Russia intends to edge closer to the Union's eastern border by making Ukraine
its vassal and stationing Russian forces on its territory (annexing Crimea),
similar to what it has done in Belarus. Such is the purpose of Russia's massive
arms program at a time in which European countries, apart from Poland and
Norway, are limiting their military potential. Russia has no instruments of
influence other than the use of threats to destabilize the situation in
neighboring countries. Today the pretext is to protect Russian minorities;
tomorrow, it will perhaps be enough to use blackmail by citing alleged
anti-Russian sentiments.
The Common
Market
The
character of international relations in Europe is changing before our eyes.
Rather than a free partnership, the situation has become confrontational. For
the time being, the Kremlin is on the offensive. Wednesday's E.U.-U.S. summit
is historic because as a consequence, responses will be sought to the Kremlin’s
aggressive policies. In the long run, the key to resisting Putin's policies is
to boost transatlantic integration. In the short run, the central issue is
safeguarding European energy security. These issues are addressed by the
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which has been under
negotiation for the past year. When signed, it will not only create a duty-free
zone, but first and foremost, it will harmonize standards on the quality and
safety of products, services, etc. This will lead to the creation of a common
market area encompassing 50 percent of the world's GDP.
Transatlantic
economic integration, apart from being the engine of the global economy, will
shore up the foundations of NATO, which will cease to be merely a community of
geopolitical interests. Broader economic bonds will build a stronger political
community, making reciprocal security obligations more realistic. The Kremlin
will have hard time exerting influence in this new Europe. Conversely, Russia
wants to cooperate with us, and it is welcome. We would all benefit from such
an outcome. However, in order for this to happen, Russia will have to accept
the standards and values of the civilized world, where there is no room for
military aggression, corruption, and fortunes made at the expense of society.
The
Kremlin can continue to play Cold War, turning Russia into a post-Soviet
open-air museum where its only argument in relation to the world is the atomic
bomb. It can kiss its "natural gas weapon" good-bye, and competing in
other economic areas is now out of the question. It is worth stressing that the
TTIP is not an anti-Russia initiative. What is anti-Russia is the Kremlin’s
polities, which force this powerful country to the margins of history.
The
process of building a common transatlantic market will last years. We need
quicker solutions, which is why the inclusion of energy cooperation into the
TTIP is so important. It is essential that America's international trade
regulator agrees to the export of shale gas to the European Union. This of
course will require the construction of the appropriate infrastructure at U.S.
ports, but in the event that negotiations are successful, this will be feasible
in a few years. I raised this issue a year ago, during a visit to Washington by
the European Parliament Committee on International Trade. Our counterparts in
the U.S. Congress and administration were very open to the idea. Now everything
depends on the leadership on both sides of the Atlantic.
American gas
export
The
emergence of the United States as a gas suppliermeans at least two things. First, a rise in supply will lower prices on
the blue fuel [natural gas]. Prices won't drop to the level of the American
domestic market, but any lowering of costs is beneficial to European industry.
In turn, this will force Russia to change its current policy of basing its
finances on "carbon profits."
Second,
by increasing the supply of gas in Europe, the U.S. will bring us closer to the
goal, which is, based on the concept of European energy security, creating a
truly free market for natural gas within the E.U. The development of adequate
infrastructure (mainly of gas terminals) will allow for a genuine
diversification of the gas supply and allow the free-market to set the
price. On the other hand, from the perspective of Russia, it means the collapse
of the current model of "pipeline geopolitics."
Posted
By Worldmeets.US
The
opening of shale gas exports from the U.S. to Europe, and Europe’s emancipation
from GAZPROM, is Putin's biggest nightmare. By
establishing the context for negotiations, this understanding is important
because the agreement has serious opponents. Among them are my friends in the
European Parliament with whom I brought about the defeat of the Anti-Countefeiting Trade Agreement on International Trade Committee,
and, in consequence, in Parliament. They are rightly concerned about U.S.
intelligence agencies spying on Europeans. The Union cannot agree to such
procedures. It will therefore be necessary to find solutions within the
agreement to guarantee the safety of our personal data.
Fortunately,
thanks to negotiations conducted by the European Commission under the Lisbon Treaty, which are
monitored not only by the Council but also by my committee in the European
Parliament, this gives us a tool of influence and control that we've been
using from the very beginning. If I am elected for the next term, I will be one
of those who cannot commit to an agreement without clauses ensuring the
protection of our data. For me it is important that the Snowden scandal act as
an incentive to finding a solution, rather than as a pretext for killing the
agreement.
Snowden - a
puppet of Moscow
Today,
from the perspective of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the purpose of the
Snowden affair is clear. By revealing information that triggered European
concern, Snowden was really a puppet in Putin’s hands. Through his revelations
he was to stir protests in Europe against TTIP comparable to those against the ACTA. In this way, the Kremlin wished to prevent the
creation of a mechanism that would thwart its expansion. That goal has been
achieved. Russia and China have similar systems for spying, but European dismay
was directed exclusively against the United States. Now leadership from the
principal figures in the United States and E.U. is needed to find the necessary
compromise. That is why so much depends on today's summit, where these issues
will be addressed. So much depends on good leadership in the next European
Parliament, which will have an impact onnegotiated solutions and the vote for TTIP approval.
*PawełZalewski is a member
of the European
Parliament.
