Former Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi has given some insights on the root of the ongoing crisis between the United States and Russia over Ukraine.
The diplomacy expert hinted that the loggerheads between the two world powers might have been rooted in the massive Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a long-touted energy infrastructure project owned by Russia, which reportedly has capacity to fuel 26 million households in Europe.
According to Akinyemi, the US was opposing the ambitious pipeline project on the grounds that it would harm fragile marine ecosystems, increase European reliance on Russia for energy to a dangerous level, and empower Russia in Europe and around the world.
He added that US was worried about the pipeline that is expected to transport natural gas from Russia directly to Germany and link up other European nations, adding that the US government has been taking cover to oppose the project under the guise of a possible invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army.
Recently, the threat of conflict has been looming in Eastern Europe following mobilisation of over 100,000 troops to borders with Ukraine by Russia, according to reports.
The US military had also raised alarm, saying Russia was attempting to invade and attack Ukraine, regarded as a sister nation to Russia following the fall of the Soviet Union.
Though, Russia has consistently denied claims it is planning to invade Ukraine, but clarified that it was against efforts to make Ukraine join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), a security alliance comprising 28 European nations and two North American nations — US and Canada.
Reacting to the impasse on an Arise TV programme monitored by The New Diplomat, Tuesday, Akinyemi said the ongoing tussle is more that the Ukraine crisis as America and the Western media would want the world to believe, saying that the two countries are also fighting hard over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
In his words: “I suspect that all this has to do with the gas pipeline that goes from Russia to Germany, it hasn’t been (completed) now, but the pipe is really laid down, it’s just to give the signal and the gas will start flowing. And the Americans fear with that.
“With that gas pipeline turned on, not just Germany alone, but Europe is going to get sucked into a cordial, close, intimate relationship with Russia, which will increase Russian power or influence over Europe, or diminish American influence over Europe. Therefore, if this crisis is being handled in such a way that the pipeline project is destroyed then we go back to the status quo.
“I hope and I pray for all our sake that Putin does not make the mistake of crossing that border. Because if he does, it is easy to start a war, it is not easy to end it. It only takes one foolish man on one side to make a mistake and send missile where he’s not supposed to send it. But believe me, Central Europe is not going to be the same if this war starts.” The former Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister cautioned.
Meanwhile, the revelations by Akinyemi come as Russia announced Tuesday that some of its troops would return to base, but stressed that major military exercises would continue.
Amid skepticism in the West, the Russian defense ministry said troops from its Southern and Western military districts located near the Ukrainian border had begun to return to their home stations, but the fears over a possible invasion still persist.
The troop removal was announced by Moscow a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there was still room for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
