West seeking to avoid collapse by antagonizing Russia, says veteran nationalist
Western nations need the current conflict with Russia to consolidate the region in the face of the migrant crisis and looming collapse of the European Union, the leader of the Russian Liberal Democratic Party has said.
“The European Union is falling apart. How can they prevent this without an external threat? They need some fear factor,” Vladimir Zhirinovsky wrote in his Telegram messenger on Tuesday.
“They are no longer afraid of the Islamic world, there are millions of refugees from Arab nations and Africa living in Europe anyway. China is too far. Russia is all that they are left with,” he explained.
“Besides, the USA benefits from this whole situation. If Europe remains unstable, funds from the whole world would pour into the United States. A similar effect was recorded in the time of World War II, which was mostly waged on European territory,” the Russian politician noted.
Zhirinovsky’s comment followed shortly after the United States, the United Kingdom, 16 EU nations and several other Western countries announced that they were expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in response to Russia’s alleged complicity in the recent poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Russia has denied any role in the incident and has demanded to see some basis for the allegations being made by British officials, but this request has been denied.
Moscow has already reciprocated by expelling British diplomats and announced that more reciprocal measures will be taken against all nations that take part in the hostile campaign.
