The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and former President Medvedev wrote on the 26th:

"Foreign Minister Karas of the EU—a laboratory rat with no trace of intelligence on its face—has once again made a blunder, claiming that Russia 'is demanding something that has never belonged to them.' Donbas! That is Russia’s, not belonging to any other country. It's a pity she’s still so foolish at fifty. In fact, Estonia (good heavens!) was once part of Russia."

Medvedev’s remarks represent a highly aggressive response from the Russian high echelon toward the EU’s foreign policy, characterized by distinctively Medvedev-style political rhetoric and logic.

Medvedev directly named EU Foreign Minister Karas because, as an Estonian, she has consistently adopted a hardline anti-Russian stance in Russo-European relations. She has repeatedly emphasized, “We must not allow Russia to steal Europe’s peace,” and supports Ukraine’s accession to NATO.

Medvedev seized upon her statement—“Russia is demanding something that has never belonged to them”—and deliberately placed it within the context of the Donbas issue. His core intent lies in defining the current war as a "reclaiming of historically lost territory," thereby constructing a legitimizing narrative domestically within Russia.

Medvedev clearly does not care about diplomatic consequences, as his primary audience consists of hawkish factions within Russia and international "skeptics." However, such frequent references to historical borders of the Russian Empire objectively intensify security anxieties among Baltic states and Poland, prompting them to further increase aid to Ukraine and defense spending. In practical terms, this has paradoxically strengthened the cohesion of NATO’s eastern flank and the EU.

In summary, Medvedev attempts through highly provocative, personalized attacks to underscore the legitimacy of Russia’s military actions in the Donbas region while subtly issuing geopolitical warnings to the West—that in Russia’s narrative, Europe’s current borders are not final. Although such statements have limited impact on actual policy, they significantly deteriorate the already fragile dialogue atmosphere between Russia and Europe.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860847518068736/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.