Dmitry Medvedev – Threatens Europe
The former Russian president wants to punish Europe for its support to Ukraine
Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and the chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a voice of the Russian hardliners. It is not unusual for Mr. Medvedev to make nearly weekly proclamations in the press or on social media in which he does not threaten the West. The latest bombastic statements from Mr. Medvedev seem to implicitly acknowledge his foresight of a near-term end to the war in Ukraine, and he is articulating how a post-war Russia should interact with the West.
Mr. Medvedev is expressing his desire to move on from the war, a task that will be challenging for any party. However, he believes that even in peace, Russia should continue to disrupt the West and prevent it from living in peace, citing their perceived treachery in supporting Ukraine and opposing Russia.
Mr. Medvedev posted on Telegram that his intention was to punish Europe. "Here I will tell you in more detail, because the current Old World does not cause me any emotions, except for the deepest disgust. It is Europe, which has turned into an evil, half—witted old woman, that has become the main stronghold of Russophobia in the world…”
He asserted that Russia ought to disregard the United States, forgiving the "weak countries" who succumbed to Western pressure, but punishing the European nations who "derailed" the Istanbul Peace Talks in the spring of 2022, which could have brought an end to the war.
Like in many of his rants, Mr. Medvedev did not provide specifics, but he asserted that Russia should use all available means, including economic, political, and hybrid warfare, to punish Europe. Mr. Medvedev does not speak for the Russian government, but there are some indications that Russia is adopting some of these positions against the West.
Russia, a country that promotes mass migration into the West, has warned that it will manipulate these populations to commit acts of disobedience and violence, with the aim of destabilizing Western societies. Destabilizing societies could create opportunities for political upheaval to occur. Russia could also use military threats and deployments to induce societal and political upheaval in pursuit of its objectives.
A Russian "dark" oil tanker this week reportedly cut electrical and data lines in the Baltic Sea, leading Finnish authorities to seize the Russian tanker. This comes on the heels of a Chinese bulk carrier accused of cutting data cables in two separate locations in the Baltic Sea as it left a Russian port.
While it's uncertain if Mr. Medvedev's proposals will materialize, it's reasonable to anticipate that Russia, in reaction to the West's backing for Ukraine, will revert to the pre-Ukraine War status quo once the war concludes with a negotiated peace. How will the West react if Mr. Medvedev's predictions come to pass? Will the Ukraine peace be a brief intermission for a larger European war? Will cooler heads prevail in Moscow? Or will the West find a successful strategy to force Russia to end its hybrid war and focus on restoring its economy? It is evident that even if the war concludes, the negative emotions will persist.