Europe faces an existential threat

After the global COVID-19 pandemic, the last thing that Europe (and indeed the entire world) needed, was the eruption of war – any war – on its own soil.

That it takes the form of an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, by nuclear-capable Russia – which boasts one of the largest armies in the world – only gives the world more cause to shudder, for a variety of reasons.

Starting with the fact that Russia’s nuclear button is in the hand of Russian President Vladimir Putin himself: who has so far behaved in irrational, unpredictable, and totally irresponsible ways.

Even without the fear of nuclear strikes, however: Russia’s military aggression towards Ukraine remains an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. Apart from the horrors unleashed by war itself, Putin’s actions have once again plunged Europe into all the divisiveness we always associate with wartime.

Already, there are indications that anti-Russian sentiment is spilling beyond the confines of the acceptable – i.e., by being directed at ordinary Russian civilians, instead of at Putin’s government (where it should so clearly be aimed).

In so doing, we seem to forget that Vladimir Putin is not ‘the Russian people’; and the Russian people are most emphatically not ‘Vladimir Putin’. Just as millions are opposed to war, across the world: so, too, is there anti-war sentiment among peace-loving Russians.

Given that there is also a sizeable Russian civilian presence here in Malta – people who live and work here; who are married into local communities, and who send their (Russian-speaking) children to Maltese schools – it would not be amiss to bear in mind who the real enemy is, in situations such as this.

Clearly, there must be unequivocal condemnation of the unacceptable actions taken by the Russian government. But it would be equally unacceptable to extend Vladimir Putin’s guilt, to a people that does not all condone their leader’s narcissistic megalomania.

Having said this, the unfortunate reality has nonetheless been brought upon us, directly by the actions of that one Russian government.  And apart from unnecessarily unleashing the dogs of war: Vladimir Putin has also put an end to any imminent possibility of a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

In so doing, he has also scuttled any legitimacy his diplomatic arguments may have had. For instance: Putin’s pre-invasion arguments, to justify Russian troop build-up on Ukraine’s borders, was that he was responding to Ukrainian abuses towards Russians in that country: even going so far as to accuse Ukraine of ‘genocide’.

However, all that instantly went up in smoke, the moment he himself launched a multi-pronged military invasion of his neighbour. For one thing, that is very clearly NOT the way one responds to such claims, even if one is firmly convinced of the allegations (and that is debatable, to say the least, in this instance).

There are other ways to put such arguments across – including the United Nations Security Council – short of launching a full-scale, violent ground assault. Clearly, Putin was not interested in helping pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region; his real aim was the total occupation of Ukraine. By attacking Kyiv and other cities across the country, Putin’s mask fell.

Nor does Putin’s fear of Ukraine joining NATO appear to be grounded in any form of rationality. For while the concern, here, may at least be justified – NATO certainly has expanded beyond the Minsk agreement; and Ukraine had expressed an interest in joining the alliance - by occupying Ukraine, he would have effectively brought NATO to his own borders anyway.

Likewise, Putin’s press conferences - during which he referenced ‘history’ to justify his actions - are also surreal. For if any of this represented his true intentions, Putin must surely realise by now that his plan has backfired substantially. Undoubtedly, Russia’s invasion has brought EU member states closer together; not further apart.

Indeed, the initial hesitation by some countries, to take a stronger stand against Russia’s belligerence, appears to have fizzled away. Meanwhile, his own country seems ever more isolated. The sanctions agreed to between the member states are intended to financially cripple Putin’s war machine; the closure of all EU airspace to Russian aircraft and trade restrictions will only isolate Russia further.

On the domestic front, Malta has fallen in line with EU sanctions, and offered humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, in full respect of neutrality.

But the government so far has refused to ban the sale of Maltese citizenship to wealthy Russians. This should be a logical step, in the circumstances.

Once again, this should not be conflated with arbitrary retaliation towards all Russians: as Prime Minister Robert Abela misleadingly hinted, by arguing that ‘stopping passport sales to Russians does not mean all Russians are criminals’.

The current passport programme already contains a list of countries to which Maltese citizenship cannot be sold. This does not mean all citizens in these countries are criminals, either.

No: the reason Malta must add Russia to that list, is the same reason why European (and other) countries are agreeing to a raft of unprecedented sanctions, and other punitive measures. Because, as EP President Roberta Metsola put it: “Europe faces an existential threat if it does not face down Putin’s war machine.”