BRUSSELS, April 25. /TASS/. The EU is driving itself into complete isolation by trying to divide the countries of the world into ‘allies’ and ‘outsiders’ based on their attitude to Russia and China, Kirill Logvinov, Russia’s acting Permanent Representative to the EU, said.
"Following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on April 24, 2023 in Luxembourg, the European Union declared the beginning of a new era in foreign policy," he said, commenting on EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s statement issued after the meeting, "It is symbolic that such a decision was taken on the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace. As the UN Security Council in New York was discussing the formation of a multipolar world, Brussels, despite the objective processes taking place on the international arena today, proclaimed its course towards ‘planned’ unipolarity."
"In the EU world, a special place is reserved only for those who literally put on the EU ‘glasses’, thus following Brussels' interpretation of foreign policy. And if yesterday the division into 'allies' and 'outsiders' was based on the unequivocal support for the Western policy in Ukraine, now there is a new ‘aptitude’ criterion, that is the policy towards China," he pointed out.
EU’s self-isolation
"It is indicative that the EU is not bothered by the fact that its approach does not take into account the national interests of others. It is practically a targeted invitation to third countries to sacrifice their own sovereignty," the Russian diplomat noted.
"What is surprising in all of this is the European Union's unfounded self-confidence that it has the right to blatantly impose its own distorted ideas on others. It seems that Brussels does not realize that by such actions the EU is driving itself into international isolation," Logvinov said.
Moving towards a bipolar world?
On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU entered a new "era of a fragmented world", in which "two different ecosystems of technological developments" will compete.
"We have discussed the Action Plan on the geopolitical consequences of the Russian <…> [special military operation], because yes, we have to reach out much more to third countries. The Russian narrative has to be countered in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, increasing our bilateral engagements, and presenting a plan that goes beyond the everyday crisis management. <…> You have to go further and to look at a structural approach; to our policy with respect to the countries that do not look at this world with the same eyes, the same lenses, as us," Borrell said.
"This [Action] Plan includes the Global Gateway initiative. It will include this initiative, and it will be the way of engaging in this new era of foreign policy. An era of a fragmented world, with two different ecosystems of technological developments. With two groups of people. And everybody trying to attract to these groups, one side or the other, when there are many people who do not want to take sides. But they have to take a position with respect to the war in Ukraine and with respect to the relationship with the growing role of China. We are living in a new political landscape on the world stage and we have to deal with it," the EU foreign policy chief continued.