Putin's cooperation with far-right parties in Europe was discussed by members of the European Parliament during today's plenary session in Strasbourg, with Cypriot MEP Niyazi Kiziljirek, joining the debate, stressing that nationalists in Europe are encouraging Russophile, separatist movements in Ukraine, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has referred to the illegal "tdvk" as a model for Donetsk and Luhansk.
This debate, which also included representatives of the Commission and the European Council, was officially opened for the first time in EU institutions, examining Putin's cooperation with far-right parties and separatist movements in Europe, as well as the similarities between Putin's policies and the attitudes of such groups.
As Mr. Kiziljurek said in his introduction to the debate, nationalists admire Russia and separatist movements in Ukraine. "But in Cyprus, my country," the MEP added, "ut there are also those who want to see it permanently divided, hoping that the war in Ukraine will also lead to the recognition of the illegal, separatist entity in the north of Cyprus." He added that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has already referred to the illegal "tdvk" as a model for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine. Kiziljurek said that Russia's relationship with the far-right has been going on for years and is confirmed by Marie Le Pen's visits to Moscow, joint statements with Putin's advisers. "The far right in Europe wants to dismantle the EU and return to separate nation-states," Kiziljurek explained, saying that Putin's regime also aims at the failure of the EU, as Russian nationalists see the EU as an obstacle to the dreams of the great Eurasian Empire.
He explained that both the Putin regime and the far right are pursuing a policy based on resentment. "Populist nationalists mobilise the anger of the masses," he said, adding that "the Putin regime acts against Western civilisation, motivated by envy and hatred."
He said, however, that Washington also played an important role in organising far-right movements in Europe, thus wanting to undermine the EU. "One of the advisers to former US President Donald Trump has long been involved in the organisation of far-right populists in Europe."
Following his intervention in the EP, Mr. Kiziljurek told Cypriots that the US also seems to benefit from the development of the war again, as Europe's dependence on NATO in terms of security is growing, while its energy dependence on the US is also growing after the sanctions on Russia.
As an antidote to this development, which is an extension of the rise of nationalism in recent years in Europe due to the exploitation of large social inequalities by far-right extremists, Mr. Kiziljurek proposed a review of the EU's economic policies with the aim of a socially just Union in order to reduce inequalities. "We must bear in mind that the best way to fight against separatist tendencies is to create functional, multicultural societies," he concluded.
Lecture at the University of Strasbourg on the relationship between nationalism and war, with reference to Ukraine and Cyprus
During his presence in Strasbourg, Mr. Kiziljurek spoke as a guest at the University of Strasbourg about how nationalism can become a cause of war, citing examples from both Ukraine and Cyprus.
"In Cyprus two nationalisms, Turkish and Greek, clashed because they could not come to a common understanding of a common future," Kiziljurek said. "The colonial power of England took advantage, fomented the conflict to build its colonial policy, this led to the intervention of Greece and eventually we had the invasion of Turkey," he added.
"Today we have a divided country and separatist tendencies are manifested by Turkish Cypriot nationalist forces who want a separate state," he explained in a statement to CNA. He also said that the nationalist tendencies on the Greek Cypriot side seek a state with supremacy of the Greek Cypriot population, within the framework of majority rule, in a unitary state.
Finally, he stressed that the entity created by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus is illegal, not because it is not recognized by the international community, but because it was de facto built on land from which the Greek Cypriot population was expelled. "So such a state cannot be recognized," he concluded."
Source: CNA
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