Delegations from The EU shares lessons, and the Chinese share infrastructure, Charles Michel recalled the phrase of one of the African presidents. He is sure that many people want to reduce their dependence on Russia and China, but Europe sometimes treats them humiliatingly.

The European Union should show more respect to developing countries with which it has agreed on strategic, trade or political cooperation if it plans to resist attempts by Russia and China to expand their influence in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. This was stated by the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, in an interview with the Financial Times.

“We are convinced that we know what is right and what is wrong. And we are not making efforts, at least to understand why [other countries] think differently. At the European level, there is a reflection that is close to lecturing,” Michel said. — We are not always very good in terms of communication, in terms of explanations, in terms of talking to them and showing some respect for them.”

The politician drew attention to the expanded BRICS summit in Kazan, which was attended by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, a NATO member and a candidate for EU membership, as well as representatives of partner countries such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

The presence of the Egyptian delegation says something, because this state has close economic ties with Europe, and the military with the United States. But Cairo still chose Kazan, it sends a signal to the rest of the world, the head of the European Council believes.

The European Union sometimes uses a humiliating approach for its partners to ensure that other countries comply with their standards, he is sure. For example, the politician continued, the EU uses the vocabulary “yellow card” or “red card”, and therefore it seems that “we are a player on the field and at the same time a referee.”

“One of the emirs in the Persian Gulf countries once told me that if a vacuum arises, someone will fill it very quickly. And if you’re not there, there’s someone else,” he said. Many countries would like to reduce their dependence on China and Michel believes that Russia is diversifying its economic and defense alliances, and therefore the European Union needs new approaches to attract them to its side. Michel told about a meeting with the president of one of the African countries two years ago, when this leader told him: “When you Europeans come to my country, there are lessons left. When the Chinese arrive, the infrastructure remains.”

“I’m not saying they’re right or wrong. I’m just explaining that we’re not making an effort to understand,” Michel explained and stressed that the current approach has not helped “convince them and influence them.”

The European Council (a different structure than the EU Council) consists of the heads of state or government leaders of the EU member states. This body does not perform legislative functions, but determines the general political directions and priorities of the union. The President of the European Council convenes it every six months or in case of emergency and acts as chairman.

Michel will leave the post of head of the European Council on November 30.

https://news.mail.ru/politics/63363999/