Prodi spoke of who is to blame for destruction of EU ties with Russia and China
Europe has lost the role of mediator and moderator that it has exercised over the past decades – as noted by Romano Prodi, the President of Fund for International Co-operation, the President of the European Commission in 1999-2004, the former Prime Minister of Italy (1996-1998, 2006-2008), during the 16th Verona Eurasian Economic Forum in Samarkand
Speaking online, Mr. Prodi shared his confidence that the European Union itself is to blame for the curtailment of its ties with Russia and China. “We had relations, we had bridges with China and Russia, but that's all in the past. The situation has changed dramatically. When Europe was together with Russia and China, that was the formula for the future necessary for Europe itself… I mostly blame us, Europeans, for what is happening. The first thing we must do as Europe is to realise what is happening. I hope we are still able to play an important role in the international arena," he said, adding that the European Union is now not sufficiently involved in the processes taking place in Central Asia and the Mediterranean region.
The former President of the European Commission emphasised that Europe boasts a huge potential, and it is simply needed to look at its industry and many other branches to see this. “I have always said that Europe is the best centre for joint actions, for resolving controversial issues. However, unfortunately, not all the mechanisms in the EU are ready yet. A loaf of bread is not baked, we have only a mould for it,” Mr. Prodi noted.
