MOSCOW, June 13. /TASS/. Europe’s aging political elites remain determined to transform the European Union from a political bloc into a military alliance and are now pursuing a clear objective: establishing strategic footholds for exerting pressure on Russia, Milorad Dodik, leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, the leading political party in Republika Srpska, one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entities, said in an interview with TASS.
Dodik stressed that Europeans continue to wage war against Russia through Ukraine. "Kiev would have suffered defeat long ago were it not for the European Union’s militaristic ambitions and its aging elites, who are trying to turn the EU into a military alliance instead of a political union," he said.
"That is why they are now seeking to expand their influence into Moldova, Armenia, and other areas," the politician explained. "Their goal is clearly to establish strategic footholds to exert pressure on Russia and, more broadly, on the eastern direction." In reality, however, "they have almost no influence," as "the European Union has lost its unity, lacks a single leader, and has no raw materials."
"Even Germany is losing its innovative edge," he said. "Russia trains far more talented engineers. And if you compare educational programs here with those in the West, it becomes obvious that Russia and China hold the advantage, as they train specialists on a much larger scale. As a result, the EU’s former strategic advantage has been lost."
The bloc’s member states, including Germany, are "mired in debt," Dodik continued. According to him, Europeans understand that overcoming this crisis will be difficult and are therefore seeking a way out through militarization. "As Germany produces fewer cars, it is shifting toward manufacturing armored vehicles and other military equipment. That is a cause for concern," he said.
Dodik also drew attention to the current US administration’s view of the Ukraine conflict, particularly regarding Europe’s involvement. "I believe there is a sufficient degree of mutual understanding between representatives of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Donald Trump," he said. "It is also evident that, even in the context of the special military operation, Trump views this conflict primarily as a matter for Ukraine and the European Union," Dodik concluded.