Title really doesn’t match the image. “be counterweight to USA” *shows pro US image*
What about Canada, India, Mexico and every other country?
There’s one reason and one reason only why Britain doesn’t have extremely prosperous partnerships with China and Russia, and that is The USA.
China? Okay fair. Russia? Ain’t happening. The problems between Western Europe and Russia are far deeper than their respective relations with the US.
Western Europe has no argument with Russia. They were enjoying cheap Russia gas until the war began in Ukraine, their oligarchs were welcomed in London, they bought our football clubs. We supplied cars, luxury goods, expertise.
Russia literally poisoned people on British soil less a decade ago. You got some really weird ideas if you think the relationship is anything close to being friendly.
Not to mention Russia shit talks all of Europe daily on state TV.
Can I ask you to read what I wrote again, but more carefully? Because it does not mention being friendly .
Then, consider your own view of Russia and what sources informed it, and reflect on that.
My views of Russia were informed by watching RT, which I used to think was more reliable than Western media because it wasn’t controlled by American billionaires. So I don’t think the point you were trying to make is a very good one.
Hardly a shocker that launching a war against our neighbour would make us trust them less, is it? Not to mention the fact that Russia was happy to conduct assassinations on British territory well before 2014 anyway
They had economic relations, yes, but geopolitically speaking they’re on different sides just as much as, say, China and America are on different sides. They’ve been on different sides since WWII ended with the partition of Germany. Russia wants to expand its territory and influence, and Western Europe doesn’t want anything that will upset the European Pax Americana. The biggest example of this is the Russian invasion of Ukraine; there’s a reason the EU is pouring billions into the war and it’s not to satisfy the US. See also Russian interference in European elections. The Russian aim of retaking the Eastern Bloc would conflict with British interests even if America disappeared tomorrow.
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Well we’re risk at of going off track here, because we are talking about trade and economics being possible, with people who have different politics. Which it was.
Europe has long pursued integration with Russia through trade. The Americans instead push for NATO expansion.
America has never liked the idea of the EU because it loosen their control.
The Ukraine war is perfect for them, because they are making bank off of weapons and energy sales, have nothing at risk and sees Europe and Russia weakened.
Well we’re risk at of going off track here, because we are talking about trade and economics being possible, with people who have different politics. Which it was.
It was, yes, but only insofar as they could stay out of each other’s business. Russia invading Ukraine made their politics Western Europe’s business, is what I’m trying to say. From that point they could either do nothing or act against Russia, and they judged it in their best interests to do the latter.
America has never liked the idea of the EU because it loosen their control.
Are you sure about that? If I’m not wrong America welcomed the EU because it reduced the chance of another war between Western European powers.
The Ukraine war is perfect for them, because they are making bank off of weapons and energy sales, have nothing at risk and sees Europe and Russia weakened.
Yeah that’s fair.
It is also that Russia is threatening to nuke the EU and expand into EU territory namely the Baltics. You do not need the US to tell the EU, that that is a problem, especially when that country started a massive war. Obviously the UK prefers the EU over Russia for a lot of reasons.
Btw a similar thing is happening with the US right now. Trump trying to force Denmark to give him Greenland is seen in a very similar light to Russian actions in the Baltics and Ukraine.
Oh and small countries have agency as well. There is a reason Georgia has EU membership as a goal in its constitution due a invasions and those were not by the US. A lot of eastern European countries have similar feelings about Russia for good reasons. Those countries also lobby the UK.
Can we look at where Russia threatened to nuke Europe ? I looked into it once, and I don’t think it was ever said . Certainly, it was widely reported, but I seem to remember the actually words were ‘we wouldn t hesitate to use nukes, if threatened’.
For example the new nuclear doctrine:
The doctrine now says an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault on Russia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4v0rey0jzo
and a Russian lawmaker, when the EU parliament voted to allow all kinds of weapons to be send to Ukraine:
What the European Parliament is calling for leads to a world war using nuclear weapons
Yep, sure Britain would have prosperous relations with Russia after Salisbury Poisonings and with PRC after it stole Hong-Kong on promises of democracy and authonomy, and then throwing those out of the window.
Not sure you’re equipped for this. ?
The Lease on Hong Kong expired and Britain handed it back in accordance with those terms.
As for the Salisbury case, one civilian death has never really stood in the way of trade deals before.
stole Hong-Kong
Now that’s an interesting claim. (Notwithstanding that “1 country, 2 systems” ultimately didn’t consolidate into the 1 system we would have liked.)
