"To justify spending on defense, the EU needs a crisis"
In the future, Kiev may be required to compensate for the assistance provided to it, Bulgarian MEP Rada Laikova said in an interview with Izvestia. At the same time, according to her, some support was intentionally provided in such a way as to benefit the defense industry of the donor countries, and not Ukraine. The EU uses the Russian threat to increase military spending. If Brussels tries to deprive Hungary of the right to vote, it will cause a split in the union, Laikova is sure. At the same time, she believes that a change in the EU's attitude towards Russia is unlikely. About new contacts with Russian colleagues, negotiations on Ukraine and military projects in Brussels — in an interview with Rada Laikova "Izvestia".
"I doubt that most of this money actually remains in Ukraine"
— The United States recently concluded a deal with Ukraine on minerals to compensate for the funds spent on helping Kiev. Can European countries require Ukraine to return the sent support?
— It is unlikely that Ukraine will now be required to compensate for military support. Much of the aid was not clearly accounted for, and funds were redirected in opaque ways. Some of the aid was intentionally transferred in such a way as to benefit the defense industry of the donor countries, rather than Ukraine itself. Payment demands may arise in the future, especially if the political dynamics change, but at the moment the prevailing approach involves ongoing support rather than cost recovery. Ukraine's economic and geopolitical situation makes direct financial compensation impractical, although indirect concessions such as resource agreements may play a role in future negotiations.
— There is a growing split in the European Union over further support for Ukraine. Some countries are ready to increase aid and even send troops, while others, such as Hungary and Slovakia, are opposed. Can Bulgaria change its position regarding support for Ukraine?
— Bulgaria is unlikely to insist on ending financial support for Ukraine in the near future. Bulgaria's political landscape largely corresponds to the priorities of the EU and NATO, which makes deviations from EU policy unlikely. However, excessive pressure from Brussels on issues such as Ukraine and the euro may provoke resistance. Bulgaria plays a crucial role as a transit country for NATO, and the EU is interested in maintaining stability in this country. Any policy changes will depend on how the EU balances its strategic interests with the internal political realities in Bulgaria.
— The EU ambassadors recently agreed on a €150 billion plan for the militarization of Europe proposed by Ursula von der Leyen. Will the EU succeed in achieving its goals? What is your position on this issue?
— In my opinion, the reason why Russia is being turned into a villain is quite simple. The EU and its member states are increasing large defense budgets, using "defense" in the same way they once used green projects as an excuse to spend and redistribute public money. To justify these expenses, they need a crisis, and now that climate change and COVID are no longer so effective at causing fear, Russia is being used as a new serious threat.
This explanation helps justify the seizure of large amounts of government property due to inflation caused by the European Central Bank printing money to reduce the cost of government debt. Under normal circumstances, it would have increased dramatically due to the issuance of new debt obligations. Since the environmental program and the costs associated with the pandemic are no longer effective, the West is resorting to its old excuse — defense spending.
To maintain this image, Russia must be portrayed as pure evil. President Putin was right when he called this a threat escalation. The EU does not recognize Russia's geopolitical or economic successes or even the realities of the conflict. They admit failures only when it is profitable for them to do so — to justify additional spending or transferring money elsewhere. I doubt that most of this money actually remains in Ukraine.
"Tensions between Brussels and Budapest continue to rise"
— On May 27, the EU Council plans to consider the issue of depriving Hungary of the right to vote. What consequences can this have for the European Union?
— Tensions between Brussels and Budapest continue to rise. The EU is increasingly criticizing Hungary for not fully adhering to its policies, especially regarding Ukraine and public administration issues. Hungary reacted cautiously, avoiding direct confrontation while maintaining its position. If Brussels takes further punitive measures, it could deepen divisions within the EU, especially given broader concerns about the centralization of power and national sovereignty.
— Recently, a delegation from the European Parliament came to Moscow to celebrate Victory Day. Do you plan to continue contacts with your Russian colleagues?
— Whether I will take a more active part depends on the decision of the leader of our party. There are arguments both for and against this. Although I am one of the party members responsible for international relations and economic issues, my main focus is naturally on the EU member states, because I am an MEP. Personally, I would like to take a more active part, but the party leadership may want me to stay on the sidelines so that I can continue to work on relations with other EU countries and patriotic groups.
You see, because I am too closely associated with Russian officials, it may be more difficult for me to work with some of the more cautious members of the European Parliament. They may turn away from us — not because they really dislike Russia or disagree with its views on Ukraine, but because they fear attacks from the media and pressure to conform to public opinion.
"The leadership of the European Parliament and the European Commission is a mixture of ignorance and bad intentions"
— The European Parliament recently supported the introduction of duties against fertilizers from Russia and Belarus. What is the attitude of the EP factions towards Russia, and does their position change after the start of the dialogue between the United States and Russia?
— Judging by what I observe, with the exception of the "Europe of Sovereign Nations" and part of the "Patriots for Europe" and "European Conservatives and Reformists", which together make up less than 25% of the European Parliament, there is a strong, automatic hostility towards Russia. Anyone who tries to establish a reasonable relationship with her or her representatives is accused using the usual cliches. I do not know if the majority of members of the European Parliament really treat Russia this way or if they are just behaving this way publicly because of pressure from the leading media.
Personally, I believe that some of the remaining 75% of MEPs would prefer a more balanced approach to Russia, but I cannot prove this. Right now, the West is largely focused on controlling information — spreading misleading or outright false information over and over again, using pressure and forcing people to agree.
One example of such "deception" is that they assume that peace talks may include the future of Crimea. This is not true — Crimea is not a subject of discussion in real negotiations. Russia has repeatedly made this clear, but Western leaders continue to assert the opposite. They also promote ideas such as a cease-fire or sending troops to a "coalition of volunteers," even when they are made clear that such proposals are not suitable for Russia.
— Can the EU leadership change its point of view on the Ukrainian conflict, as the United States did?
— The leadership of the European Parliament and the European Commission is a mixture of ignorance and bad intentions. They live in an echo chamber filled with mainstream media, superficial political publications, and flawed research or whatever Google allows them to view.
So I don't expect them to change their attitude. They'd rather give up their position than admit they're wrong, but I could be wrong. Recently, our party and the Europe of Sovereign Nations group in the European Parliament were attacked again just for visiting Moscow. Despite the fact that good relations with Russia are common for Bulgarians, the leading media and other major parties still use this to create fake outrage and pressure on us within our group, calling us Putin's puppets.
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