Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit held in Malta last week, his first visit to an EU member country since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. His attendance was extremely controversial, with many attendees leaving the room during his speech. In his speech, Lavrov accused the U.S of attempting to revive the Cold War, claiming that the west is treating Russia as a common enemy and therefore provoking direct conflict. Rather than staying to listen to other speakers, Lavrov left the room after he was done speaking. U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on the issue after Lavrov left, stating that it is actually Russia that is escalating the conflict, through aggressive actions such as the deployment of North Korean troops, use of ballistic missiles on Ukrainian territory, and attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine resurfaced tensions from the Cold War, and this effect can be clearly seen in how each country approaches discussions about the war. These Cold War ideologies deepen the divide between Russia and NATO/EU member countries—the history behind the conflict causes resentment from both sides, making it much more difficult to find a solution and end the war. During the Cold War, having Russia as a common threat united Europe through the founding of NATO and the EU. These two IGOs brought peace and cooperation throughout Europe that allowed many European countries to prosper but further isolated Russia. Russia still feels the effects of this isolation today, which is why it is aggressive towards NATO and EU member countries yet worried it may become a common enemy once again.
Because Russia believes that the U.S is escalating the conflict, Russia is more likely to act as if it is preparing to go against the U.S or defend itself from them. Russia’s response to this perceived threat could potentially cause the conflict to escalate, even if the U.S doesn’t take any direct action against Russia. Because of this possibility, Europe and the U.S need to be prepared to respond to escalation from Russia without escalating the conflict even further themselves. However, it is also possible that Russia may not act on this, as it doesn’t have the military power to defeat the U.S military if it started a direct conflict.
The OSCE summit is one of the many ways European countries cooperate for collective benefits—the EU uses diplomacy in every scenario possible, with a multitude of agencies, councils, and diplomatic meetings between officials of its member countries. Since its creation, the EU has become a great example of liberal theory in action. Through diplomacy, democracy, and economic cooperation the EU has unified the region, creating a system in which all member states work together for the common good. While not all relations within the EU are explicitly beneficial to all its member countries, the shared EU identity and goals help to maintain alliances and preserve peace.