“February 24th is the 11th of September in Europe,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, speaking at a discussion on the future of post-war Europe in Ukraine at the 7th Delphi Economic Forum, also attended by the Undersecretary of State for European Affairs. Italy’s European Affairs Officer Vincenzo Amendola and Austrian Federal Minister for European and Constitutional Affairs Karoline Edtstadler.
Mr Varvitsiotis praised the unity shown by the EU in managing the situation created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, noting, however, that unity should not be taken for granted, but we should work to maintain it. “They will try to push to break this unity,” he said, noting that while the EU has imposed sanctions on Russia, other partners have not taken similar steps and are making a profit out of the situation. “For example, Turkey welcomes oligarchs on their yachts to its Mediterranean ports […] “It facilitates inbound and outbound tourism from Russia through Istanbul Airport,” he said, referring to a statement by Hungarian authorities that they are willing to pay in rubles for the gas they import.
“This is not the end but the beginning of the story,” he said. “by not taking them into account when we talk about debt and deficit, because we need to act immediately to strengthen our (defense) capabilities.”
In particular, with regard to the energy crisis triggered by the situation in Ukraine, Mr. Barvitsiotis suggested that the next European Council should take all necessary measures to address it, referring to the need to ensure prices, adequate stocks. but also exploring areas from which gas can be introduced into the European energy mix. According to Mr. Varvitsiotis, one of these areas is the Mediterranean, where there are enough reserves to reduce dependence on Russian gas and, as he stressed, “we must move immediately” in this direction.
He noted that “we have invested and we want to invest more in renewable energy sources”, which, as he said, “at the end of the day, will be the cheapest source of energy” and “will make us stronger as we will not be geopolitically dependent on any supplier “However, he said that the use of fossil fuels will not stop in the next 20-30 years, noting that they should come from every possible source – either from the US, the Arabian Gulf or -mostly- from our neighborhood. the Mediterranean-, while noting that we should involve more North African countries in European economies.
In this context, he said that we should also consider the possibility of importing gas or electricity from the North African countries, while he also stressed the need to build networks as, as he said, each country has a different energy mix from the other. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution,” he explained.
“We will lose if we do not move fast in the Western Balkans”
Asked if the time was right for EU enlargement, Mr Varvitsiotis said “we will lose if we do not move quickly in the Western Balkans”. Serbia for 15 years and stressed that the “green light” should be given to Northern Macedonia “because the situation in the country is fragile in terms of political results.”
“As Europeans we must keep one thing alive. The European vote is a vote of victory in every election and we must ensure that this applies to both our countries and the countries associated with us. Otherwise, the European flag will not “It means as much as it does today,” said Mr Varvitsiotis, with Austrian Federal Minister Caroline Edstadler stressing that “if we do not act now, we will lose these countries and move into Russia’s sphere of influence.” and stressed that “Europe must keep its promise” and Mr Amendolas agree that there is a delay in fulfilling the Western Balkans’ vision of EU membership.
V. Amendola: First of all, we must win the war by explaining to the citizens the stakes
Answering the main question of the debate on what Europe will be like after the war in Ukraine, the Italian Undersecretary stressed that “first of all we have to win this war, and that means we have to explain to the public what it is the main issue before us “.
Mr Amendola welcomed the European Union’s unity on the issue, noting the need to strengthen the Union’s role on the international stage, but also to give a clear dimension to the issue of strategic autonomy under discussion. , characteristically saying that it is a wonderful slogan, in the context of which, however, the concept of unity should be defined in terms of managing issues, such as the energy crisis, immigration, the solidarity mechanism, etc.
“It is a tragic moment, but at the same time a moment where we can make progress,” he said.
Regarding the need to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, he noted – among other things – that what we need to do is to plan the diversification of our sources, to develop a European system, a common European market, to strengthen the sector of renewable energy sources and whether we need to see the practical needs of addressing the need to focus on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
He agreed with Mr. Varvitsiotis on the need for Europe to turn to Africa in terms of the critical energy sector, typically saying that “we have a ‘sister’ in the Green Agreement and that sister is Africa.”
K. Edstadler: Now is the time to make decisions
“Everything has changed since February 24,” said Austrian Federal Minister Caroline Instantler, adding that “everything that is happening” will mean a change in European history and it is up to us to react appropriately. ”
In this context, he stressed the importance of a compass strategy for a new defense and security policy, noting that now is the time to make decisions, reduce Europe’s energy dependence on Russia and develop a common defense and security system, and all having ensured the coexistence with the citizens.
“We have a lot of challenges to face in the coming months, in the coming years. I’m not sure what is to come. […] “We must stand by the people,” she said, adding that she was pleased with the “unprecedented unity” shown by the EU in meeting the challenges it is currently facing, noting that the EU can to be a “global player if he maintains this unity”.
Regarding the energy crisis, he stressed that we should use all available energy sources to reduce our dependence on Russia for oil and gas. “We can not make these changes overnight and we must be realistic and honest with the people, design and produce smart policies, work together and maintain the unity of the European Union,” he said.
Source: Capital
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