If we are not at the negotiating table we will be on the menu

Former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker is in an interview with a Spanish newspaper El país talked about the current geopolitical situation characterized by a return Donald Trump to the White House. “The period of Trump, Putin and XIA as Europeto defend himself, « believes the Luxembourg statesman, who was at the forefront of the European Commission between 2014 and 2019.

“Under the auspices of the United States, Europe has built a trade based on trade, on the power of economy, on laws, rules and common values ​​with Americans. The United States is now turning their backs. The umbrella of the US defense disappeared, just as we were forced to disconnect from cheap Russian energy at the outbreak of the war because we could no longer trust Putin. The total shock of Trumpism and Ukraine leads Europe into a forced geopolitical awakening. Trump’s goal was and is to divide us. But he failed in his first term. And he will soon discover that he will fail again, « said Juncker, 70, Juncker.

He is currently writing a book of memories and for El país he also spoke about his life. “My father, who never left his village, was called into German vermaht in the middle of World War II. A few days later, he was taken to the Russian front with his four best friends; He always said he started shooting without understanding why. He was trapped in Russia. He later worked in the steel industry, « the politician recalled, noting that this story marked him. « Especially today, when we talk a lot about wars again. »

Despite the black clouds that flock over Europe, it is optimistic: “The EU has come out of all these crises in a stronger position. Europe has shown that when a wild storm, it is able to change its rules and have a political vision. This happened when the British unfortunately decided to leave the Union. This happened with the crisis of state debt. This happened with the pandemic. And now it’s happening again: the EU has a strong instinct to survive. « 

Juncker, who was also the Luxembourg Finance Minister (1989-2009) and the first permanent president of the Eurogroup (2005-2013) at the time when the European Financial and Debt crisis was at its peak, says that we have to be clear about the war in Ukraine that Russia did not respect the agreements. “Putin attacked Ukraine and had a plan to reach Kiev in ten days. We have to stand by Ukraine and we have to reach a decent peace agreement. The EU must be part of this agreement: we should be a negotiating table if we do not want to be on the menu. « 

When asked about the role of the European Union in resolving the Middle Eastern crisis, he said it was « devil’s complex conflict » and that « we never had a true voice in the Middle East. » He is also concerned about the rise of the far right in the old continent: “What our traditional customers do is worrying. The right middle is usually mimicked by far right populism, while the left center is left to sweep it by far left populists. The EU has become vulnerable to the far right, which refers to the poison of nationalism, wants to destroy the welfare state and opposes immigration. We must also lead the word war: expressions such as security, protection, sovereignty and pride must return to our dictionary. Populists cannot abduct them and use fear. We have to lead this battle. «