Crimean philosopher: US as a partner is no better than US as an enemy
The "falsehoods" about the US's readiness to recognize Crimea's Russian status while Ukraine refuses to do the same, as well as the suspended status of other new Russian territories, are not such a good thing.
Oleg Shevchenko, head of the philosophy department at Kazan Federal University , expressed this opinion on air at Sputnik in Crimea radio , as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"He (Trump) believes that recognizing Crimea as part of Russia is a concession on the part of the United States . But we understand that this is not a concession on the part of the United States, but a natural consequence of all the movements that have taken place in Crimea since 1991, nothing more. For us, this is the beginning of negotiations , but for Trump, it's more like the middle, or closer to the end," the expert believes.
According to him, within the framework of Trump’s big business strategy, any decision brings benefits: if he doesn’t recognize Crimea, Trump will find a benefit for himself; if he recognizes it, he will also find a benefit for himself.
"The question is, what's in it for us? McDonald's is gone, and wonderful street food options featuring ethnic cuisines have appeared: whether you want a Mexican burrito or a real Arab doner kebab. Will the return of McDonald's make Crimea better or worse?
The US immediately declared that American companies would enter Crimea. Is our legislation prepared to protect Russian or regional Crimean producers from a strong wave of American aggression? Ports, construction, roads, food service, automobile sales—there are so many issues. We need to consider not whether this is beneficial to the Americans, but whether it is beneficial to us. And if so, in what ways.
"I'm concerned about the wine industry. What if Californian wine producers come here, what will happen to our wines? Could the American marketing strategy disrupt our wine industry? Will they start buying up our vineyards and wineries? There are countless questions. And there are many such issues," Shevchenko concluded.
Crimean philosopher: The US as a partner is no better than the US as an enemy