“NATO restrained itself from facing Russia on the ground. Therefore, they have been trying to deploy mercenaries under NATO command into Ukraine. They basically desire to create a second Syria or Libya between Europe and Russia. This is actually a project serving the interests of the United States but contradicting completely those of Europe. When they go for that option, a collection of mercenaries, plunderers, jihadist groups, drug kingpins and human traffickers from all around the world will head over to Ukraine.”
United World International expert Onur Sinan Güzaltan gave an interview to China Radio International/Turkey, CRITurk. Below we present the interview as published by CRITurk, the original text can be read here:
Subtitles were set by UWI.
In an interview with China Radio International/Turkey, United World International expert Onur Sinan Güzaltan evaluated the latest situation in Ukraine and reflections of Russian’s intervention.
According to Güzaltan, the military response of Russia to the NATO and the US expansion to the east is a “step forward by Moscow, which has been only in defense since the 80s, and it is not planning to take back this step”.
“Imposing sanctions on Russia, Europe is shooting itself in the knee”
While Europe has moved instantly towards the way of sanctions, Güzaltan says the continent is shooting itself in the knee by doing so. The expert says this policy will eventually become obsolete. Güzaltan also noted that Ukraine’s invitation to foreign fighters is a part of the larger policy of tearing Russia and the EU apart.
Güzaltan evaluated the issue as follows: “The West broke its promise and continued to expand eastwards. Russia said that this would threaten their national security and demanded that NATO stopped its expansion eastwards. But Moscow did not receive positive response. And when the US conducted provocations over Ukraine, Russia answered with a counterattack. Since the 1980s, Russia was in a defensive position against the West. Of course there are the examples of Georgia and Crimea, but this is the first time since Russia has taken such a large step forward and responded with a military intervention against the West’s policies of containment.”
Political and military goals of Russia
Güzaltan summarized the military objectives announced by Russia under four topics:
“Neutralizing the Ukrainian military infrastructure. The elimination of the groups defined as ‘neo-Nazi remnants’. The absolute neutrality of the Ukrainian government. And the recognition of Crimea’s inclusion to Russia.”
Asked whether, in an atmosphere where a specter of the Cold War is wandering around, it was possible for Russia to retract some these demands or to give some compensation in negotiations, Güzaltan replied:
“Russophobia has risen again in the West. The Russian media outlets have been banned. Russian students studying in Europe are being stripped of their rights to get education. The anti-Russian sentiment is rising in the West as a solid bloc. From now on, Russia backing down from these demands means that the groups and political movements backed by the US would advance on the doorstep of Moscow. Not militarily, but politically.”
Commenting that the issue of Crimea’s status was a more “flexible and discussible matter” in the Russian-Western negotiations, Güzaltan stated that Moscow would insist much more on the point of the resignation of Zelensky and his political allies and an official statement by the country declaring absolute neutrality.
“The EU is still not beyond the point of no return”
According to the expert on Political Sciences Onur Sinan Güzaltan, who describes that “Europe is shooting itself in the knee” with the sanctions, also ads “the EU is still not beyond the point of no return”.
Assessing that the EU’s governing political elite is well aware of this economic reality, Güzaltan emphasized the importance of Macron’s direct contact with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in that context. Güzaltan said that the goal of the US in the Ukraine crisis was to “create an atmosphere of a new Cold War in Europe, and to strain or even cut off the European relations with Russia completely”.
Güzaltan believes that the EU will eventually back down from the sudden sanctions, while saying “It seems unlikely that Europe will continue in this way, especially in the field of energy and security”.
Call for a foreign force in Ukraine
Güzaltan also mentioned the issue of sending foreign forces to Ukraine a called first made by Zelensky and then supported by the British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. According to the expert, the following would be the worse scenario:
“NATO restrained itself from facing Russia on the ground. Therefore, they have been trying to deploy mercenaries under NATO command into Ukraine. They basically desire to create a second Syria or Libya between Europe and Russia. This is actually a project serving the interests of the United States but contradicting completely those of Europe. When they go for that option, a collection of mercenaries, plunderers, jihadist groups, drug kingpins and human traffickers from all around the world will head over to Ukraine.”
Noting that Ukraine had lost its status as a state under Zelensky’s rule and now had become a “failed state”, Güzaltan stated that it had been the West and NATO, who dragged Ukraine into this situation. Adding that the arrival of foreign fighters into the region would turn Ukraine into a gangrenous region, Güzaltan said, “I do not think that Russia could ever allow this”.