Canada alone in tough approach to Russia
KYIV, Ukraine — It was clear after Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s pell-mell five-day blitz through Europe last week that Canada is more isolated than ever from the continent over Ukraine, Crimea and Russia.
Harper has spoken out more strongly in support of Kyiv and against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and machinations in eastern Ukraine than any Group of Seven leader. Less well known is that Canada has tried in its own, admittedly modest way, to do more to shore up NATO’s feeble eastern flank than any other member of the military alliance except the United States.
Unlike several European leaders, Harper has not abased himself before Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, putting commerce ahead of the principle of territorial integrity, which the West has long claimed to be sacrosanct.
Europe’s feckless response to the neighbourhood bully’s decision to unilaterally alter Europe’s borders in Crimea was on full display in France last week. Putin was invited to dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris by French President Francois Hollande. On Friday, Putin had a place among the heads of state of the West’s leading democracies at ceremonies in Normandy commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Rather than be discomfited by the hullabaloo his presence caused, Putin appeared to revel in it during what should have been a genial family gathering. As every dinner host knows, figuring out seating can be a delicate business. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe drew the short straw and was seated next to Putin for the D-Day luncheon. She was such a good egg that they had her stand beside Putin for the official group photograph, too. Prime Minister Harper and Queen Elizabeth pointedly chose not to mix with Putin.
Avoiding Putin had been U. S. President Barack Obama’s intention, too. It was almost comical to see how hard he tried to avert his glance whenever Putin was nearby. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel manoeuvred Obama into chatting with Putin for a few minutes.
The White House later gushed that this was a “positive development.” However, debriefers also told the Washington press corps that the two leaders disagreed with each other over everything related to Ukraine except for the rather obvious fact that a peaceful solution was better than the alternative.
The enmity that Harper has for Putin is well known. The bigger wonder is how Harper has remained civil with the leaders of France, Britain and Germany when their overarching priority has been to say or do nothing over Ukraine that might offend Putin.
France is the worst offender — by far. Obama and NATO have pleaded with Hollande to halt the $1.6 billion US sale of two state-of the art assault ships to Russia. But with its economy in a mess, France held its nose and insisted that the sale will proceed.
Yet these behemoths are purpose-built to project power. They not only carry dozens of attack helicopters and tanks but huge amphibious landing craft, too. One of them, to be called the Sevastopol after the Crimean port, will mostly sail in the Mediterranean Sea, where Russian support for Syria has probably been the decisive factor in keeping President Bashar Assad in power.
How this helps NATO, Europe or world peace is difficult to fathom, but unless the French do a last minute volte-face the first Russian sailors are to begin training with French sailors next week.
While Britain has sent warships and fighter jets to the Baltic in support of NATO’s eastern members, it has been in a quandary over the question of stiffer economic sanctions against Russia. This is because, for years, Britain has eagerly encouraged every Russian crook to take his ill-gotten billions there, creating an unprecedented bonanza at the top end of London’s housing market.
Germany’s Achilles heel is energy. It cannot survive without Russian oil and gas because it long ago failed to diversify its source of energy supplies. Nor do big Germany companies such as Mercedes and BMW want to risk losing what is their most profitable market.
The policy decided upon at an emergency G-7 summit in Holland two months ago was that the West would ratchet up its sanctions against Russia if it did not leave Crimea. But there was no mention of this at a second G-7 summit in Belgium last week. Such timidity has made Putin understand that he can do as he wishes about Ukraine.
Gen. Lucius Clay, who was the U.S. military governor in Occupied Germany after the Second World War, had this to say about how to deal with the Kremlin over Cold War dramas such as the Berlin Airlift.
“The Russians understand only one thing and that is force,” Clay said.
That does not mean war over Ukraine, but standing up to Russia in every other way, so that it stops threatening to grab even more of Ukraine. Only Harper and perhaps Obama seem to understand this. Europeans know better than anyone where appeasement can lead, but refuse to do their part.