Sta Hungry Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

A blog by Leon Oudejans

EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

4 January 2016

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Quite frankly, there are lots of reasons to vote against the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the Dutch referendum of 6 April 2016. There is only one reason to vote in favour of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement: It’s a vote against Russia and against its treacherous approach to Europe.

Ultimately, it all comes down to one simple question: Do we want Europe to be a Superpower? If yes then vote in favour of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. If no then vote against. Both answers have immense long-term geo-political consequences. A 20 May 2015 Guardian article – link – is quite informative in this context.

The consequence of the above, is that I now must vote and in favour while I tended not to vote at all or to vote against the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Russia and Turkey are both a serious threat to Europe and both as a result of its current (effective) leadership. The USA is spiralling down and inwards and also as a result of its current (ineffective) leadership. Europe has no other choice then to formalise its role of being a de facto Superpower for the majority of the past 5,000 years.

Actually, it’s quite interesting that there is a European Commissioner for Enlargement (and European Neighbourhood Policy) since 1999. The people who fulfilled this position do not appear lightweights. Obviously, they claim that it’s merely a responsive portfolio: “The enlargement portfolio began to be created out of the regionalised foreign policy posts. In particular the Santer Commission post for relations with central and eastern Europe as those countries began applying to join”. (Wiki)

I tended not to vote at all or to vote against the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement solely based on emotional reasons. Many people are likely to do that as no one tells us a clear-cut story about Europe. I wonder why that is. What’s wrong with the ambition of Europe being a Superpower? The Russian President already knows: “Russia has designated Nato’s activities a threat to its national security and accused the US of pursuing a policy of containment towards it, in the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Moscow and the west”. (FT 2 January 2016)

The statements are contained in a paper on Russia’s national security strategy which was signed by president Vladimir Putin on 31 December 2015, updating the previous version from 2009. The document lists a series of complaints against Nato, including “the intensification of military activities of member countries”, “further expansion of the alliance”, and “moving military infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders”, which it describes as a threat to national security. (FT 2 January 2016)

It must be very frustrating to have such aspiring goals without having the opportunity to tell out loud. It must also be frustrating that Dutch national leaders are not even willing to endorse the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Wiki: In response to parliamentary questions, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that he will await the course of the referendum and its result until he decides how to move forward. And it’s a shame that we let the Ukraine President plea a multilateral case (NL Times).

Essentially, the Ukrainian President is right: voting NO in the Dutch referendum is a YES for Russia. 

Sting – Russians (1985) – artist, lyrics, Wiki-1, Wiki-2

We share the same biology

Regardless of ideology

What might save us, me, and you

Is if the Russians love their children too

Note: Information on the deaths of young Russian soldiers in Ukraine: Bloomberg, BusinessInsider, GuardianNewsweekReuters, Sky, WashingtonPostWikipedia while fully ignoring the many less reputable sources.

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