Published on 6/19/2026
|
Last update: 22:25 (Mecca time)
Former Russian diplomat, Benjamin Popov, considered that the time had come for Europe to reconsider its role in the world and improve its relations with Russia.
Popov explained in an article in the Russian New East magazine that this is due to what he described as the decline of Europe due to the policies of incompetent elites, internal problems, and external factors. Given the increasing problems facing the European Union today, it can be confidently predicted, according to Popov, that the crisis of the Western European powers will be severe and disastrous.
Read also
list of 2 itemsend of list
The pace of deterioration accelerates
The writer believes that the pace of deterioration of the major powers in Western Europe is accelerating, due to short-sighted policies, incompetence, and a widening gap of mistrust between the peoples and their rulers. According to his opinion, the situation is also getting worse due to the ongoing dispute between America and Western Europe.
Popov cites what Russian President Vladimir Putin said, in his recent speech at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, that amid the turmoil in energy markets, “the short-sighted policies of the European bureaucracy, accompanied by hostile rhetoric, are leading to a further decline in Europe’s position in the global economy and the undermining of regional security.”
According to the Russian President, Western European countries have incurred billions of dollars in losses since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, due to their imposition of 20 sanctions packages against Russia, in addition to the attempts of European elites to stir up chaos and drag more countries into it.
Criticisms of American leaders
Popov talks about an additional reason for the worsening crises of the Western European powers, related to American leaders’ criticism of the actions of the ruling elites in Europe.
An example of this is the recent scandal that shook the United Kingdom related to the murder of a young immigrant, for which US Vice President J. D. Vance blamed his death on the “invasion of immigrants” as a result of the policies of European elites that reflect self-loathing – as he described it -.
In addition, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been accused of exacerbating many of the problems facing Britain, in particular, leaving more than a million young people in the country unemployed or out of school, with growing concerns about a “lost generation.”
Germany loses its Security Council seat
As for Germany, it suffered a setback after it failed to obtain a seat in the United Nations Security Council, which German media considered a “humiliating defeat” for Berlin in the United Nations Security Council – as Germany won six consecutive non-permanent seats in the Security Council, but lost last week.
Perhaps this – according to the writer – is due to Berlin’s strongly pro-Israel stance, and its commitment to supporting Ukraine with all its strength, has alienated some of the traditional supporters of the authorities in Germany, as a recent opinion poll showed that 73% of Germans have very or somewhat negative opinions towards Israel.
Even in France, Paris recently witnessed widespread riots carried out by French football fans after their favorite team won the Champions League, where more than 400 people were arrested, which again raised questions about public order, in addition to the massive protests that swept several French cities on June 8 following the killing of an 11-year-old girl by a child molester, in which tens of thousands of people participated.
Popov:
The current reality in Europe is harsh, and is beginning to affect even the most stubborn politicians.
Inability of the ruling circles
Popov points out that many political commentators, in describing the current situation in Western Europe, talk about “the impotence of the ruling circles.”
He describes the current reality in Europe as harsh, and has begun to affect even the most stubborn politicians.
In this context, he cites what the German newspaper Junge Welt recently indicated that even those who cling to Russophobia have begun to realize the necessity of establishing an understanding with it, also referring to the statements of Finnish President A. Stobbe, in which he said that Moscow does not pose any threat to the Baltic states, which was a real tragedy for supporters of military escalation.
The author concludes that European Union countries are facing difficult times, and Europeans must realize that they can only partially maintain their role as a power center in international affairs by developing cooperative relations with Russia.
