EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel accused Russia and China of trying to use the sanitary crisis caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic to advance its interests in the world. The official said this in an interview with La Repubblica. According to Borrell, now Beijing and Moscow are providing assistance to other countries suffering from the pandemic in order to increase their geopolitical role in the world.
“It is clear that China and Russia are striving to increase their influence at the global level. It is logical that they also use the sanitary crisis for this, using all their capabilities. This strategy is based on the demonstration that certain political systems are more effective than ours (European. - RT ) in the fight against a pandemic, ”TASS Borrel said.
In his opinion, such major powers as Russia and China, with the help of the media, are trying to increase the effect of their assistance in order to influence public opinion in Europe.
At the same time, Borrel recalled that the European Union also supported the Chinese side during the peak incidence in the Middle Kingdom, and also supported Italy by sending medical missions to Lombardy.
Solidarity check
Recall that earlier, Russia and China were the first to come to the aid of European countries, the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. In March, Russia sent planes delivered to Italy by military virologists and epidemiologists, eight medical and nursing teams, and equipment for the diagnosis and disinfection of events. In addition, the Russian side sent mechanical ventilation apparatus and personal protective equipment to Italy. Currently, Russian specialists are disinfecting buildings in the cities of Bergamo, Skantsoroshyat, Gorlago, Palosco and others, and Russian doctors are receiving patients with coronavirus in a field hospital in Bergamo.
China sent its doctors to Italy on March 12, the mission was formed by the State Health Committee of the PRC and the Chinese Red Cross Society. Also, Chinese experts brought with them 30 tons of medical and protective materials.
Later, other countries also supported Italy: on April 1, Turkey sent a plane with medical help, a few days later two military transport aircraft with medical help sent the Egyptian authorities to Italy.
- Bergamo Field Hospital, where Russian and Italian specialists will receive, diagnose and treat COVID-19 coronavirus patients around the clock
- RIA News
- © Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Now Italy takes the third place in the world in the number of cases and deaths from the coronavirus COVID-19. As of April 9, more than 17 thousand people died in the country, the number of infected people approached 140 thousand.
In early March, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the EU, Maurizio Massari, called on pan-European institutions to support the country, but Brussels’s reaction to Rome’s plight turned out to be very specific. The diplomat spoke about this in his article in the newspaper Politico.
“Italy has already asked to use the EU civil protection mechanism to ensure the supply of personal protective equipment. However, unfortunately, not one of the EU countries responded to the call of the European Commission. Only China went towards. Obviously not the best manifestation of European solidarity, ”the diplomat said.
Massari added that the coronavirus pandemic turned into not only a crisis, but also became a test of European solidarity.
The diplomat also called for the formation at the EU level of a unified approach to detecting and reporting cases of coronavirus infection, developing general recommendations for the entire bloc.
On March 10, leaders of EU member states tried to work out a common package of measures to combat the pandemic in Europe. The meeting was held in a videoconference mode, following the results of the negotiations, the parties managed to adopt the “Investment Initiative for the Response to Coronavirus” totaling € 25 billion. The funds were planned to be used to support national health systems, as well as the affected sectors of the EU economy. At the same time, European leaders failed to agree on the formation of a common fund of medical protective equipment and mechanical ventilation. Another € 37 billion EU promised to allocate for urgent targeted investments.
However, the approval of a large package of measures to support the economies of the affected countries in the amount of € 500 billion has stalled. It was planned that the finance ministers of the EU member states will approve aid measures on March 8, but in the end the plan was agreed only a month later.
In turn, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid criticized the actions of the EU leadership in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the politician, now many people have questions about solidarity in the European Union.
“The European Union today is actually not coping with its main task - to ensure the functioning of a single market,” the Estonian leader explained.
- Reuters
- © Yves Herman
Interviewed by RT experts share this view. According to Konstantin Voronov, Head of Regional Problems and Conflicts at the Department of European Political Studies, IMEMO RAS, the pandemic revealed the inefficiency of European institutions and their inability to respond quickly to threats.
“The point is not in Russia and China, but in the fact that the EU has so far failed to develop a common policy for responding to a pandemic and economic crisis. And Borrell needs to speak not about the influence of Moscow and Beijing, but about the problems of the European Union. I think that now he and other European officials are required to count for the events, and he must somehow justify himself, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.
A similar point of view is shared by the professor at the Higher School of Economics, Dmitry Evstafiev. According to the expert, now European countries have to fight the pandemic almost single-handedly, the European institutions of mutual support have been powerless.
“It is simply fantastic that a European functionary almost condemns aid to European countries. Of course, such statements are inappropriate, but they are quite typical for irresponsible politicians, who are many employees of pan-European structures, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.
Undermining authority
It is worth noting that Joseph Borrell had previously made similar allegations. So, on March 24, the diplomat said that China allegedly “aggressively promotes the promise”, according to which the Chinese side is the responsible and reliable partner of the EU, unlike the United States. In addition, Borrel reported on attempts to discredit the European Union, but did not specify who exactly is making such efforts. At the same time, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy noted that the perception of events will change in the future, as the situation with the outbreak of coronavirus develops.
“However, one must keep in mind the geopolitical component, including the struggle for influence, which is waged using information tricks and a“ generosity policy ”. Armed with the facts, we need to protect Europe from those who seek to undermine its credibility, ”Borrel said in a statement.
Earlier, the Italian newspaper La Stampa made accusations against Russia. With reference to unnamed sources, the journalists of the publication declared the "futility" of 80% of the medical equipment delivered by Russia to Italy. According to La Stampa, Russian assistance to Rome is only a geopolitical and diplomatic project in Moscow.
Commenting on this publication, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenkov said that the agency knows the customers of the “Russophobian media campaign” launched by La Stampa, and accused the publication of manipulating fakes.
In turn, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that La Stampa's article refers to direct slander.
Similar charges outraged the Italian authorities. According to Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Mayo, Russia sent masks, apparatus for ventilating the lungs and people to disinfect cities, making a gesture of help and solidarity. At the same time, Italy is not a country that can become dependent on another state, the minister explained.
- Luigi Di Mayo
- Reuters
- © Remo Casilli
The head of the Italian government, Giuseppe Conte, also commented on the allegations that Russia allegedly put forward some conditions for providing assistance in the fight against coronavirus.
“The hint itself deeply offends me. It’s an insult for the Italian government to think that the help we receive from Russia, China or other countries can affect Italy’s geopolitical position, ”he said.
As experts recall, Russia did not ask anything from European countries in exchange for help, so the accusations made by some media outlets have no basis.
“Russia did not ask for easier sanctions, the goal of the Russian mission is completely different. Russia now has a task - to gain experience in the fight against coronavirus, to gain an understanding of which technologies work and do not work. Our doctors can get this experience in Italy, not to mention that limiting the spread of the virus is in the interests of all countries, including Russia, ”said Dmitry Evstafiev.
A similar point of view is shared by Konstantin Voronov. According to the expert, the demarches of some European officials and the media are counterproductive in this situation.
“Russia helps neighbors, and not only neighbors, but also European countries, because of its capabilities. EU countries are fighting the pandemic separately, they were left to their own devices. And this situation raises the question, why do we need pan-European institutions? Undoubtedly, a pandemic will affect the political sphere in the future and lead to a revision of many things. As for the accusations against Russia and China, the general public understands that officials are justifying their inaction in a disaster, ”summed up Voronov.