Daniel Stewart
2022-10-11
HANDOUT – 10 October 2022, Belgium, Brussels: Josep Borrell –
Aurore Martignoni/European Commi / DPA
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has warned that the unity and solidarity of the European Union (EU) «is not clear» how long it can last in reference to the national consultation announced by Hungary to poll the opinion of the population on EU sanctions against Russia.
«Putin was wrong to believe that we were going to break our unity and, beware, it is still not clear how long it can last because there is a European leader who calls for a referendum in his country to propose to its citizens that in December the sanctions on Russia are not renewed,» Borrell warned during his speech ‘How the war in Ukraine has changed Europe’, which took place at the Carlos de Amberes Foundation in Madrid.
«We would be wrong to ignore this situation,» Borrell continued, after emphasizing that the unity that the EU has maintained during the Covid-19 crisis «must continue to be maintained» to demonstrate that «the EU is not just a regional union, it is not just a club of states but a political institution and political community in which sovereign states remain sovereign,» he added.
In this sense, he reiterated that the brotherhood between Member States must continue to be maintained in order to face «the energy crisis that is coming» caused by the invasion of Ukraine.
Borrell called on Europe to «worry» about the countries of the South and the rest of the world. «We have to make a gigantic effort to integrate into our vision the concerns of others, and we Europeans do not do it enough,» he lamented.
In relation to migratory movements, Borrell assured that the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, expects a «migratory stampede» in Africa due to famine and that this will test the reception capacity of European countries.
«Be aware that Putin expects to provoke a migratory stampede in Africa. When he provokes famine in Africa it is because he knows that the consequence of famine is migration and that those who are going to emigrate are going to do so here,» he explained.
In reference to the energy crisis that Europe is facing due to the war, Borrell described as a «great strategic error» having placed Europe’s energy «dependence» «in the hands of such an unreliable supplier as Putin».
Thus, he urged to look for other reliable gas sources without relying on Russian energy which, he pointed out, until before the war began, part of European prosperity «was built around the cheap and abundant energy that came from Russia and the great trade opportunities represented by China».
In this respect, he indicated that it is necessary to «rethink» relations with China «with this relationship that implies being partners, rivals and competitors at the same time».
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has warned that the unity and solidarity of the European Union (EU) «is not clear» how long it can last in reference to the national consultation announced by Hungary to poll the opinion of the population on EU sanctions against Russia.
«Putin was wrong to believe that we were going to break our unity and, beware, it is still not clear how long it can last because there is a European leader who calls for a referendum in his country to propose to its citizens that in December the sanctions on Russia are not renewed,» Borrell warned during his speech ‘How the war in Ukraine has changed Europe’, which took place at the Carlos de Amberes Foundation in Madrid.
«We would be wrong to ignore this situation,» Borrell continued, after emphasizing that the unity that the EU has maintained during the Covid-19 crisis «must continue to be maintained» to demonstrate that «the EU is not just a regional union, it is not just a club of states but a political institution and political community in which sovereign states remain sovereign,» he added.
In this sense, he reiterated that the brotherhood between Member States must continue to be maintained in order to face «the energy crisis that is coming» caused by the invasion of Ukraine.
Borrell called on Europe to «worry» about the countries of the South and the rest of the world. «We have to make a gigantic effort to integrate into our vision the concerns of others, and we Europeans do not do it enough,» he lamented.
In relation to migratory movements, Borrell assured that the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, expects a «migratory stampede» in Africa due to famine and that this will test the reception capacity of European countries.
«Be aware that Putin expects to provoke a migratory stampede in Africa. When he provokes famine in Africa it is because he knows that the consequence of famine is migration and that those who are going to emigrate are going to do so here,» he explained.
In reference to the energy crisis that Europe is facing due to the war, Borrell described as a «great strategic error» having placed Europe’s energy «dependence» «in the hands of such an unreliable supplier as Putin».
Thus, he urged to look for other reliable gas sources without relying on Russian energy which, he pointed out, until before the war began, part of European prosperity «was built around the cheap and abundant energy that came from Russia and the great trade opportunities represented by China».
In this respect, he indicated that it is necessary to «rethink» relations with China «with this relationship that implies being partners, rivals and competitors at the same time».
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