DW: How is Putin changing Europe?

Enthusiasm for the newly discovered unity may be transient because the price for harsh sanctions has yet to be paid. Nevertheless, Putin’s war against Ukraine has the effect of a life-giving stimulus, old security is eliminated on the left and right, and a new wind blows in Europe.

France: Macroni is right and the populists are in trouble

He has always said: since taking office, the French president has preached that Europe must become more economically autonomous and be able to defend itself. His colleagues, upset, have left him to speak without effect. It is now clear how right Emmanuel Macroni was. However, he too must now admit his mistakes: the Frenchman has long taken Vladimir Putin for granted, believing that for him it was a matter of participation and respect in Europe. After his last unsuccessful attempt at negotiations in the Kremlin, Macroni felt cheated.

Marine Le Pen and Putin in the Kremlin, 2017

But his political opponents need to break away overnight from their Putin idol and do not want to be reminded of their former tweets. So far, the pro-Putin line of former leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, right-wing populist Marine Le Pen and far-right rival Eric Zemmour has played no role in the election campaign. Today, photos of 2017 showing that Putin’s campaign funded her are very embarrassing for Le Pen. A video of Zemmour on social media, in which he describes Putin as a genius and an almost virtual Frenchman, has meanwhile become a negative hit. And Mélenchoni admits he was wrong about the Russian. The three are now talking about peace talks.

Hungary: Orban withdraws

In recent years, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had turned into a curse for the EU. Increasingly authoritarian, corrupt and declared anti-democratic, the Hungarian has sown discord and overturned joint decisions. The crackdown on the rule of law in Hungary has put it on a collision course with Brussels. And his opposition to refugees has hampered the establishment of a common migration policy.

But this weekend, Orban traveled to the border town of Beregsurany, where refugees from Ukraine are flocking to the border to greet them and promise them help from Hungary. Of course, many of these newcomers belong to the Hungarian Carpathian minority, but Orban had to take a step back.

The prime minister now oscillates between his long association with Putin and European anger over the war in Ukraine. Just a few weeks ago, he visited the Russian in the Kremlin, declaring that his request for security guarantees was legitimate and that European sanctions were counterproductive. Last Saturday, his spokesman announced that Budapest would support all sanctions against Russia. Viktor Orbani cannot change course as quickly as the upcoming elections in April require, because Hungarian public opinion is pro-Ukrainian.

Neutrals: Sweden and Finland

Since World War II, Swedes have considered their neutrality their most valuable asset. In principle, they avoided holding sides and profiled themselves as neutral negotiators for the international community. Today, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said she would hand over helmets, protective vests and 5,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine. And to Putin’s threat that Sweden and Finland would pay a high price if they wanted to join NATO, Stockholm responded calmly: We make our own security policy decisions.

Finland also reacted coldly to Putin’s threats. The Kremlin’s imposed non-engagement and political influence after World War II are now critically viewed there. And with 53 per cent of respondents, a majority of Finns now support the country’s NATO membership, for the first time. The desire to defend itself from the Western military alliance seems more important than yesterday’s tradition of neutrality.

And the question of a possible “Finnishization” of Ukraine, former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb is pleased to set aside: “The term is traumatic for us”, would be a return to the rules of the Cold War and not a good solution for Ukraine. “Finlandization” describes the period of the 1970s, when Finland made concessions to the Soviet Union with preconceived notions.

Germany: Old political buildings are collapsing

“Germany is taking on its role as a global power,” Reuters news agency wrote on Monday, summing up comments from around the world expressing their enthusiasm and surprise at Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s 180-degree turn in the Bundestag on Sunday. With a wave of his arm, he erased all the decades-old doctrines of German federal policy: he said yes to weapons for Ukraine, yes to an army ready for missions, yes to increased defense spending and no to energy dependence on Russia, not for those who understand Putin and are advocates of his authoritarian rule.

Gerhard Schröder and Vladimir Putin

The English translation of Scholz’s speech was circulated as a rare commodity on Twitter among Anglo-Saxon observers, so great was the surprise at the Berlin turn. The chancellor rejected thirty years of Russian politics of Federal Germany, especially that of his party. A day later the foreign and security policy of the Federal Republic is difficult to recognize.

And a few other things:

Czech President Milos Zeman, an ardent supporter of President Putin for years, has now called his former friend a “madman who must be isolated” and a threat to peace in Europe.

Italian right-wing populist Matteo Salvini has been photographed wearing a Putin T-shirt more than once. He is now trying to erase the former Kremlin ruler’s praise on social media and has laid flowers at the Ukrainian embassy in Rome.

Following the annexation of Crimea, former Scottish Prime Minister Alex Salmond again praised Putin as a Russian patriot. He has now suspended his talk show on the Russian propaganda channel RT until peace is restored.

Former French presidential candidate Francois Fillon, former Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern and others resigned from their posts in Russian state-owned companies amid protests. This leaves only former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder with his work at Gazprom, who speaks of “mistakes on both sides.”