A united, secure, and strong Europe is unimaginable without Russia

Risto Nikovski, Macedonian ex ambassador and political analyst says that the Cold War is simply a reality nowadays, even though the majority of people do not want to admit or accept it. The clash between the two giants, the US and Russia, is a reality which will produce even more confrontations and wars. Syria is just the beginning. However, there will be no 'Third World War', but also there won't be peace either. Europe will be "Beirutized", as we have been assured recently by events in Paris, while the wars themselves will mainly occur in Asia.

Is the heightening of the geopolitical games, which has happened recently, an announcement that the world is going towards multi-polarity? What can we expect from the eventual change?

The world is not becoming, nor is its structure becoming, in the near future, a multi-polar world. There is an ongoing fierce and successful fight that the US is undertaking to remain the sole and inviolable world hegemon. For that goal, the ends justify the means. The direct victim of that policy is, for example – Ukraine, one of the biggest European countries. Besides Ukraine, however, the whole of Europe remains America's hostage. It's simply unexplainable why Germany, France (etc.)... accept to function as American puppets contrary to their own fundamental interests. A united, secure and strong Europe is unimaginable without Russia, and confrontation with it is a disastrous policy.

Parallel to the heightened geopolitical games, there is an increase in the number of terrorist attacks. Are these tendencies somehow connected?

In politics, such as in physics and in chemistry for example, there are no coincidences. There is always an action and a reaction. It is not possible for someone to scatter, bombard and destroy, and not receive somewhat of a response. At the end of it all, the bill must be paid. The Cold War is simply a reality nowadays, even though the majority of people do not want to admit or accept it. The clash between the two giants, the US and Russia, is a reality which will produce even more confrontations and wars. Syria is just the beginning. However, there will be no 'Third World War', but also there won't be peace either. Europe will be "Beirutized", as we have been assured recently by events in Paris, while the wars themselves will mainly occur in Asia.

The last really serious incident was the downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber by Turkey. Will this incident have broader consequences?

This is about a very serious and dangerous Turkish mistake. Erdogan and his group have overestimated themselves. In question is the Turkish, mainly, and unrealistic political ambitions. So, the problem is much more serious and deeper, and the violation of Turkish airspace is not the cause but instead the formal grounds for the incident. This could be seen from the statements of Putin (the Islamization of Turkey) and Erdogan (the suffering of the Turkmen in Syria). Theoretically, it is not possible that the decision for downing the plane was made when it entered (for a few seconds) Turkish territory. Let's hope that this incident will help Ankara to have a more realistic assessment of the international situation. Turkey, at least for now, is not a player who can have too big of an influence on the events in Eurasia even though it will have a role in it.

It is very likely that under the present circumstances, the “Turkish stream” project won't be realized. If we start from the premise that a lot of effort has already been made for this project to be stopped, was the downing of the Russian Su-24 done as a US directive, in order to distort the relations of Turkey and Russia, so that the project would be stopped?

In the present conditions, the “Turkish stream” will be frozen for some time, or it will be completely canceled. The Turkish move with the downing of the Su-24 was not made by order of the US even though part of the consequences can suit US interests. With this incident, Turkey can only lose and cannot gain. The confrontation with Russia will greatly damage Turkey and it will reflect on the Ottomanism which obviously, Erdogan wants to project. The US can profit from the recent confrontation, by additionally circumventing Russia, but momentarily around Syria, things are more complicated. Washington did not like the entrance of Moscow into the war however, but after the incident with the Su-24, its engagement will increase in quantity and in quality as well, which has already been confirmed. In general, this does not suit the interests of the US. Europe on the other hand, is invisible, even though Hollande is going around the world seeking alliances. It seems that Brussels cannot understand that Turkey will be either the 'brake' or the carrier of fundamentalism.

Can we interpret the actual events as efforts of the West to stop ideas promoting Eurasia, and concretely the economic projects, which in practice would connect the regions of this huge landmass, like the new Silk road, Turkish stream, or the Balkan railway?

In principle, everything is connected in politics and should be viewed in a broader perspective. But, in this moment, the main American adversary is Russia, and all forces are concentrated on her actions and keeping her under control or contained. With respect to this of course, are the really low prices of oil. Let us not forget that it is precisely Putin who is the engine of projects such as BRICS, the Eurasian economic union ... not to be mentioned the Shanghai group and such similar initiatives. All of this is unacceptable for Washington. Let us remember that the Asian continent contains 40% of the world's territory and 60% of the population. Russia, China, India... are trying to push out the US from there, and that will be a long-term and fierce conflict of interests. Now what we are witnessing is only the beginning of the process.

What will happen in the Balkans in the forthcoming period, and what will be the approach of the East and the West for this region? What are the perspectives of Macedonia?

For now, Russia does not dispute the American domination in the Balkans. Russia will try with some basic minor provocations through Serbia, Republic of Srpska, and before in Montenegro, to disturb the peace of the Americans. But it seems nothing more than that. Here (Macedonia), maybe, but only partially, was included in the “South stream”, and after that “Turkish stream”, because that was a joint interest of Russia and all of the countries in the region, without exception. Washington efforts to stop the project were uncritically supported by Brussels, which shows only unnecessary aggressiveness, arrogance and ruthlessness. Ignored are the energy needs of several states. Moscow obviously considers that this region, for them, is definitely lost, and that there is no logic, calculation, or grounds (no one shows a big interest for them) from which to seek changes. And the region, and Macedonia, must be aware of that. On the other hand, the Chinese economic penetration, including the railway, does not bother the US because the Asian giant has no political aspirations, neither in the Balkans nor in Eastern Europe. The Chinese economic domination, however, will become an absolute priority for Washington probably ten years from now if not sooner. The before-mentioned means that Washington, blindly supported by Brussels, remains unbound and able to do whatever it wants, and how it wants in our region, wherein, the biggest victim still remains – Macedonia. There are no indicators that our diplomacy is taking any steps for leaving the tunnel in which we were so deeply put by the US. It seems that some of us do not understand that we are faced with the question: “To be or not to be?”, and that we are entering the final phase of renaming the country and annihilating the people. It is not to be disputed that in general, it depends only on us for things to turn in a positive direction. But, it's like we are absent or asleep. We are lethargic, like it's not about our future and destiny as a people and as a state. This lethargy must be overcome as soon as possible.