Latvian political expert: Ukraine is in a very unenviable position
Ukraine is in a very unenviable position, being just a pawn for the United States, Latvian political analyst, leader of the Centre Party, Normunds Gratins, told Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA reports
While ordinary Ukrainians are trying to survive in the face of ever-increasing tariffs and unemployment, they continue to be scared of the inevitable war with Russia. Thus, the United States and a range of other countries are calling on their diplomats to leave Ukraine, while simultaneously supplying the last tonne of weapons and ammunition.
Being asked whether this is preparation for a big war or a big bluff, Normunds Grostiņš responded, “Geopolitically, this is a fairly standard situation, when the States themselves do not want to fight directly but want to weaken their enemy: Russia. Accordingly, they carry out various actions on the territory of the periphery. In this case, Ukraine is in a very unenviable position. For the States, this is generally just a pawn. In this regard, let’s say, no one will envy Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, according to him, the Baltic States also have nothing to envy. “Since we are in a very similar situation, our territory is also used for approximately the same purposes. But – unlike Ukraine – we should not dig trenches at our own expense,” said the political expert.
“All this is used to divide Russia and Western Europe. Meanwhile, this scenario is directed not only against Russia, but also against Germany,” says Normunds Grostiņš. “Interestingly, this time, Germany seems to understand what is what. British transport planes, supplying various equipment and weapons to Ukraine, fly around German airspace; obviously, they are not allowed to pass. It is clear that Germany does not want the kind of development that the United States want.”
“I’m even a little surprised that they didn’t get ahead of the United States,” said the political scientist, speaking about why the Baltic States did not follow the example of their main curator – the United States – and didn’t announce the evacuation of their embassy employees in Kiev. In this regard, he recalled how in early 2000s, when it was said that the United States might attack Iraq, the Latvian Parliament was ready to declare war on Iraq even the day before the United States. “But it was just lucky that at that time America did not attack and Latvia was not left face to face with Saddam Hussein,” he said.
“Obviously, the situation is developing so quickly that our people simply do not have time to react to it, and they simply do not know what the Americans are doing,” he added.
However, the situation is heating up not only in Ukraine, but also in Western Europe. Last week, 50,000 people took to the streets of Brussels because of new COVID restrictions, with police immediately using water cannons and gas. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, condemned the protesters and supported the actions of the Belgian security forces.
The Latvian expert was asked what caused such a contradictory reaction, because in Mr. Borrell’s statements on Belarus and Kazakhstan his sympathies were opposite.
“This statement by the head of the EU’s foreign policy is yet another example of double standards, when in some countries it is necessary and possible to protest, but at home they do not want any protests and immediately condemn them, even if they took place without seizing shops, firearms, without attacks on military units, as was the case in Kazakhstan, etc. There is an absolute double standard here, this no longer surprises anyone, just another example,” explained Normunds Grostiņš. At the same time, he noted, the Belgian police have a certain reputation associated with the fact that they have always suppressed any mass demonstrations very harshly, even very peaceful.
