It would be foolish to deny Russia’s immense contribution to European culture, above all in music, dance, and literature. Great works such as Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina or Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 are part of Europe’s cultural heritage. But once we enter the realm of politics and international relations, it becomes difficult to conclude that Russia is Europe.
First, because even before the Soviet Union, the empire demanded secure borders out of fear of invasion, an ever-present concern, whether from “civilised” Europe or from the east, with China and Mongolia as constant threats. Second, from the end of the Second World War until late 1991, the USSR shared direct borders with only four potentially dangerous countries: Norway, Finland, China, and Mongolia. All other neighbouring states were friends, politically aligned with the Soviet orbit.
After the collapse of the USSR, Russia now borders fourteen countries, of which only Belarus could be considered a friend. The rest may become sources of conflict at any time. The most tragic and evident case is Ukraine.
Putin could not allow Ukraine to move closer to the EU and NATO, as that would mean losing it definitively from Russia’s sphere of influence. This is why Russia attacked, and also because of a flawed understanding of the history of both nations. Today, Russia has 146 million inhabitants, a nominal GDP per capita of 14,079 dollars (Spain’s is 32,630 euros), and a GDP of 2 trillion euros, slightly below Italy’s 2.2 trillion.
Why is Russia a threat despite such poor figures? Because it possesses nuclear weapons. Because it is not a democracy and its leaders do not need to answer to anyone. Because President Putin wants to recover the spirit and the territory — if possible — of the former USSR. Because with the current winds blowing in the United States and China, the Russian president dares to act aggressively, knowing that even without direct support, no one will confront him. Because Putin worked for many years in the KGB, and today Russia infiltrates numerous countries to influence decision-making.
The problem for Europeans is that Trump no longer sees Russia as a global threat but rather as a danger specifically to Europe, leaving us without a blanket to cover our vulnerabilities. There are thousands of kilometres across the Atlantic, and only a few hundred to reach Kyiv or, who knows, even Poland.
We need European defence and a European army so that Russia stops threatening us and to stand up to this diminished giant. If it weren’t for the nuclear bomb…
Leave A Comment