EXCLUSIVE! AUSTRIA'S TOP DIPLOMAT ALEXANDER SCHALLENBERG FOR KURIR: 'Kremlin playing cynical game – weaponizing gas and wheat'

"Unless the European Union manages to bring the countries of the Western Balkans close to its side, other actors will benefit from it, primarily Russia and China. It simply mustn't happen. Convincing prospects of accession for all the countries of the region are essential if we want to stop Russia from destabilizing the Western Balkans," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, Alexander Schallenberg, said in his interview with Kurir.

Touching on the topic of Russia's attack against Ukraine, Schallenberg pointed out that it is an "inhumane act and bloodshed on our doorstep," adding that at the moment, unfortunately, the chances of the conflict ending soon are rather slim. On the other hand, that horrific act of aggression has led, according to Schallenberg, to a European unity that we have not seen before.

He also remarked that Russia is now playing a cynical game using gas and wheat as weapons, and that, he added, the coming winter will be hard in terms of energy, but that "we know that we will weather it together with our partners in the EU, so we're certainly not afraid."

You are one of the European politicians who advocate the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU, you say openly that the countries of the region have for years been in the Brussels waiting room, that "you get the impression that the EU is losing the Balkans", and that this must not happen. On the other hand, the EU itself has many internal problems of its own – for example, word has reached us that there will be no enlargement until the EU integrates more profoundly and conducts reforms. How certain is it that this region will soon become part of the EU? And do you see the danger of someone else taking over the dominant role in these parts – and here I mean primarily Russia and China?

"Russia's attack against Ukraine shows that the EU enlargement is the most important geostrategic instrument of the European Union. Convincing prospects of accession for all the countries of the region are essential if we want to stop Russia from destabilizing the Western Balkans. It was high time that the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia finally started – it is an important step. How fast will the other countries of the region make headway towards EU membership now crucially depends on the political will and the implementation of the reforms that are required for that. The path to Brussels isn't a one-way street. But one thing is clear: there is no vacuum in politics. Unless the European Union manages to bring the countries of the Western Balkans close to its side, other actors will benefit from it, primarily Russia and China. It simply mustn't happen."

You recently presented a non-paper on neighbourly policy and EU enlargement in which you propose a gradual integration of membership candidates into the EU. Under your proposal, before a full membership, the candidates should be integrated in the institutions and funds of the European Union in order for the citizens to feel the benefits of the future membership as early as during the accession process. Are the other EU member states willing to support your proposal?

"Our non-paper's aim was to start a discussion. We would like to move forward and away from a purely bureaucratic process, towards a geostrategic discussion. From an abstract debate on opening and closing chapters to concrete advantages for the populations of the potential EU accession candidates. We have received many positive responses to the non-paper from other EU states, and we will continue to consistently advocate that the main points become part of the enlargement process. What specific form this takes isn't crucial, ultimately. What is important above all else is that the modified geostrategic framework of the enlargement process mustn't remain unused."

Has Russia's attack against Ukraine changed the picture of the world permanently, i.e. could the current deep polarization last? Did you expect the attack to last for what has been six months now?

"No. In early February, when I travelled to Ukraine together with my Slovakian and Czech colleagues, I couldn't even imagine the brutal and unfounded Russian attack against Ukraine, the inhumane acts and bloodshed on our doorstep. That horrific act of aggression has led, above all, to a European unity that we have not seen before. We have ratified asap the sanctions packages targeting those who are responsible for the Russian attack. In doing so, we closely coordinated with our partners, and we expect the countries of the Western Balkans to support this clear position. With such an evident violation of the international law, there can be no equidistance. The resistance to the aggression put up by the Ukrainian people and their commitment to independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity deserve our respect and support. At the moment, unfortunately, the chances of the conflict ending soon are rather slim. There is no question that the world has become more ready for confrontation. We must learn a lesson from this and move the focus of the European Union more sharply towards the security and geopolitical challenges."

At the start of this war, you were not optimistic about the Ukraine crisis ending diplomatically, and you even warned of the danger of World War III breaking out. What is your view today? Is there still danger of World War III?

"Sadly, no political solution is on the horizon yet. And the current developments clearly indicate that even though the war is going on in Europe, it isn't a European war. No region in the world is safe from the consequences of the Russian attack. The rise in the prices of energy and food have hit hard countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America. Some countries, e.g. Lebanon, almost fully depend on deliveries of grain from Ukraine and Russia. The Kremlin is in this case playing a cynical game, using gas and wheat as weapons. This makes the prices on the global market rise, and millions fall into poverty. The consequences of this cynical politics cannot be fully comprehended yet. However, if we recall the Arab Spring, we will remember that the rise of the prices of foodstuffs can result in destabilizing entire regions. That would in turn directly affect the security and stability in Europe."

Do you get the impression that the sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU affect the EU itself in equal measure?

"The EU imposed the current sanctions very fast and with great unity. These six packages of sanctions and the most recent adapting of the measures in July have allowed us to hit the Russian economy hard. Their full effect will become evident piecemeal. The damage that Russia suffers is of a long-term nature now already. Entire industries, for instance aviation and the automotive industry, are cornered. The consequences are also already visible in high technology, which will above all have adverse long-term effects on the Russian military machine. The sanctions are getting more and more efficient every day. We feel the effects in Europe as well. That is an immediate reflection of being interconnected and the economy being globalized. What is crucial is that Russia is hit harder than us – and that is the case. The Russian economy will shrink by no less than six percent this year, while other forecasts put the figure at up to 10 percent. In the EU, however, the European Commission predicts a 2.7-percent growth. Of course, the sanctions have reinforced the tendencies that had been there even before the Russian attack. Some examples would be the rise in the price of energy and the delivery-related difficulties following the restarting of the global economy after the pandemic. That said, it must also be clear that doing business with an aggressor like Russia isn't possible under the usual procedure. There is no return to how things used to be."

Are you scared of the coming winter in terms of energy? Can gas be something that the Russian president Putin will use to blackmail Europe?

"Russia is already trying to blackmail the EU using gas. Part of the Kremlin's strategy is to use energy as a weapon. We didn't experience this sort of policy even during the Cold War. That must serve as a warning to all countries, those in the Western Balkans included. It is clear that Russia isn't a reliable partner. This is why Austria keeps working towards filling up our gas storage facilities, in order to be ready for the winter. The winter will be hard, but we know that we will weather it together with our partners in the EU. We're certainly not scared."

The Belgrade-Priština Kosovo issue negotiations

'The dialogue is in a difficult phase, escalation would only harm everyone'

What is your view on the danger of conflict escalation in Kosovo? Are you optimistic about finding a compromise solution for Belgrade and Priština? What do you see as a compromise solution in this case?

"The most recent meetings in Brussels show that both sides are aware that a further escalation would eventually only harm everyone. The dialogue on the normalization of the relations between Belgrade and Priština is currently beyond doubt in a difficult phase. I'm glad that the most recent unstable situation has been calmed down at least temporarily, notably facilitated by the EU and the US. The dialogue between Belgrade and Priština certainly has no alternative. The path of these two countries towards the EU can only lead via the normalization of the relations between Serbia and Kosovo. EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák has been doing a great job as part of this process. We fully support him. But the responsibility for the success of the dialogue ultimately lies only with Serbia and Kosovo. I therefore call upon both sides to fulfil their obligation to consistently implement the agreements reached so far, build mutual trust, not undertake unilateral measures or engage in provocations, and make progress in terms of a sustainable compromise. The longer the stalemate, the longer the populations of both sides are its hostages."

Boban Karović