Warning to Ukraine. How astonishing, at first sight, was the way in which an initiative, the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine) - which I didn't even know existed - was launched in Kiev at the start of the week. This mission, which became operational on 1 December, invited to the launch a number of media, including our agency, which reported on it at some length (EUROPE 11208). The press was invited to note how the mission, formed as part of the EU's common security and defence policy (CSDP), had been set up on the ground. The head of mission, Kalman Mizsei, is calling for very different headquarters (he is currently based in a casino!) and, especially, a radical change: out must go the Soviet heritage where the military, political and judicial form a whole, with no democratic accountability. Mr Mizsei has also openly stated that, in Ukraine, corruption is a parallel structure to the state which could destroy everything.
To this must be added the stance taken by European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who confirmed his support for a donors' conference for Ukraine, but without making any commitments on when this would take place. Confidence has to be built up and, once this has been done, a date can be agreed because the EU is not just a donor: Ukraine will have to move on from the idea of being a recipient of aid to the idea of being an investment opportunity for the EU (EUROPE 11208).
Beyond appearances. There is clearly a link between the warning to Ukraine and EU efforts to re-establish budgetary and financial balance, involving sacrifices and rigorous discipline. In its now long history, the EU has rarely seen such an intense period of decisions and important initiatives for its future. At the same time, however, it is being submerged by scepticism and discontent, both from its own citizens and from outside, all disappointed and all critical - even the Pope! Yet this is a time of radical innovation in European construction, in complex areas which, in the past, have not been sufficiently dealt with: I'm referring to the discipline being brought into the world of finance that is so difficult and complicated and, perforce, gradual. The days of abuses are largely over; new rules are being drafted: France, Italy and, especially, Germany have launched an initiative for a broader strategy which takes account of new limits on permitted fiscal competition.
Strange way. The idea of an EU in a serious state of crisis with very little by way of remedy is clearly mistaken. The people of the countries surrounding Europe who are trying by every way possible to get in realise this. I'm not referring to those who risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean but to the strangest of ploys, such as using one's homosexuality (real or invented) to claim that one is persecuted in one's home country. The Court of Justice of the EU has been asked about this and its verdict is, in substance, that homosexuals should have the right to asylum when they are persecuted for their sexual orientation in their own countries.
Moscow appears weak, yet … In the never-ending quarrels between Europe and Russia, Moscow currently appears weaker, particularly as a result of the dip in gas and oil prices. But interests are so interwoven that all it took was for Vladimir Putin to announce that Russia was pulling out of the South Stream project (to transport Russian gas ultimately to Italy, passing under the Black Sea) for concern, not to say panic, to rise in the EU, too. The European Commission (through excessive legalism, in my view) has built up obstacles against South Stream and now the major European energy companies are desperate and refuse to contemplate that the project (which would have carried more than 10% of European gas demand) could really be over. Moscow has suggested that it might be prepared to negotiate and Jean-Claude Juncker has said: “I hope that Russian will again soon be a strategic partner. The European Commission will do all it can to make this happen”.
Fortunately, it would seem that talks between High Representative Federica Mogherini and Putin have been arranged for the coming days. It has to be hoped that this is the start of a permanent dialogue. (FR)