UKRAINE AND THE EUROPEAN NATIONALIST MOVEMENT

Ukraine support from Spanish nationalists

It becomes a trend in Ukraine to show discontent towards "pro-Russian position" of European nationalists. Disclosure of "European nationalists" in role of "Putin's agents" has become a usual work of liberal mass media, controlled by oligarchs. New "labels", created by this mass media become so popular among a significant percentage of population. We can hear thoughts like "They betrayed us" even among nationalists.

In fact, relations of Ukraine and the right-radical forces in Europe is a quite complicated theme. Complicated but very important provided that Ukrainian nationalists plan to continue the revolutionary struggle.

Ukraine support from France nationalists

First of all we must say that a thesis about a totally pro-Moscow (anti-Ukrainian accordingly) European nationalists position - is a wrong and largely artificial stereotype. Hungarian "Jobbik" Bulgarian "Attack", Greek "Golden Dawn", the French "National Front" have quite a clear pro-Moscow position. Above all, each of these parties received some financial contributions from the Kremlin. Also, pro-Moscow rhetoric could be heard from the representatives of the British National Party and the Italian "Forza Nuova". But political parties, mentioned above do not exhaust the list of right-wing forces in Europe. Many European nationalists, despite all the nuances, which we will discuss later, supported us at Maidan and continue to support Ukraine in the war against Russian occupiers. These are different forms of support: a trip to Maidan, pro-Ukrainian articles in their own information resources, street actions, financial support, participation in hostilities as volunteers. Italian movement "CasaPound" has quite a pro-Ukrainian position, Scandinavian "Nordic Youth" (Nordisk Ungdom) actively supported us at the Maidan, we are also very grateful to Spanish "national-revolutionary action" for pro-Ukrainian street actions as well as certain nationalists groups in France. 

Speaking about the division between the right-wing movements of Europe on the pro-Moscow and pro-Ukrainian, we should emphasize a few moments.

Ukraine support from Greek nationalists

Firstly, even the forces with frankly anty-Maidan position, cannot be assessed unambiguously. For example, the British National Party leader Nick Griffin in an interview responded positively about the "Right Sector", noting that this political force created the alternative for pro-EuroAtlantic liberal Maidan "leaders".

Secondly, the positive fact is that Ukrainian nationalists are supported a huge number of "marginals" and, therefore, truly revolutionary forces. Let`s look at the France - pro-Putin`s "National Front" is opportunistic, national-populist movement in fact. The National Front's tendencies to get into the "Political Correctness" area or games with the system turn this force into something indistinctly-liberal, and now they look like Ukrainian "People's movement" in the 90-s against the background of "Tryzub" and UNA-UNSO nationalist movements. At the same time "Street rightists" movements like the Génération Identitaire show more nationalist and revolutionary sequence. They are "marginals" - identitetes, royalists, catholics, traditionalists are at the forefront of the struggle against left-liberal dictatorship of Francois Hollande now. At last let us remember protest actions against homodictatorship laws in France! "Street rightists" were the ones who made it clear that France will not kneel down before the perversion, not "National Front". They just "marginals" today, tomorrow they can play a decisive role in France history as well as "Right Sector", formed from little known to the public organisations and movements, played a role in Ukrainian history.

Ukraine support from Italian nationalists

Thirdly, European nationalists have already found themselves "on different sides of the barricades" once before because of various national sympathies. It was during the Balkan Conflict, some of European nationalists supported Croats, another - Serbs then.

We should understand that there is quite an objective basis and reasons for the average European national-revolutionary to have pro-Moscow, not pro-Ukrainian position. Those European rightists, who support Ukraine are swimmers against the stream in a sense. I think many of Ukrainian nationalists would have the same pro-Russian position and a negative position towards Maidan in the same situation. There are a number of significant reasons for this.

France nationalist in racks of Ukrainian 
volunteer battalion

The first reason is considering Russia as the "nationalist" country. Pressed by liberalism, European rightists wish to believe that an alternative exists not only in their dreams, but in reality. Accordingly, some of them perceive Russia as a white, conservative, nationalist country, the main enemy of the EU and the US, defender of Europe from the new world order. Unfortunately it's just a dream, European population is displaced by Asian peoples in "white" and "nationalist" Russia, many of Russian nationalists, fighters against Kremlin`s policy of multiculturalism are imprisoned now. Putin's "conservativism" - is merely a farce. Russian society is consolidated around the Soviet (not pre-revolutionary, imperial) mythology, people's religious and moral level is measly.

Russian society is culturally westernized despite the renewed image of the "rotten West".

Ukraine support at Russian nationalist
 march

Pro-Moscow's European nationalists just don't understand this simple thing. They look at Russia by the naive eyes and believe in what they want to believe. One of the Moscow's foreign propaganda segments is directed to support this belief now.

The second reason is pro-EuroAtlantic illusions of Ukrainian people. Probably the majority of Ukrainian Nationalists hate the EU not less than nationalists of Greece, Spain, France and other European countries. But we can`t deny the fact that the whole the Maidan has "European integration" image, though nationalists were the vanguard of protest, they were in the minority. Imposing the false geopolitical orientations on Ukrainians did its job well, and many of ordinary peaceful Euromaidan protesters held the EU flags sincerely. "Euromaidan stage owners" tried stubbornly to keep the process in concept of peaceful "Euromaidan" with help of "social DJs, animators" like Ruslana Lyzhychko (Supporters of nationalist revolution called a rally near the scene of the Euromaidan (with dances and music) - a Discotheque, and those who ruled this process from the stage (Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk, Ruslana, etc.) - a DJ's.). Media followed the same "liberal" strategy.

Some of European nationalists were able to understand that Ukrainians came to Maidan not for EU integration support, but first of all to protest against corruption, social injustice and greedy criminal-oligarchic government. Others saw naive desire to make Ukraine a part of "EU`SSR". Accordingly, the former supported Maidan, the latter – condemned.

"No to discoteque, Yes to Revolution", 
Ukraine nationalists call for national 
revolution at Euromaidan

The third reason is -  previous mistakes of Ukrainian nationalists. Unlike Russia, which has been working among European nationalist movements at the national level for a long time, Ukrainian nationalists neglected work on this front. "Svoboda's" good results at parliamentary elections in 2012 was congratulated by many of European nationalists, but later they were disappointed. "Svoboda" supported Yanukovych`s EU integration course and worker closely with liberal pro-Western opposition during Maidan. More harm than good brought the official English-language "Svoboda" website - for some reasons "Svoboda" promoters tried to create a "white and fluffy" image of this political party in Europe.

"Right Sector" improved the situation during Maidan, a few articles was published in English with explanation of ideological principles of the organization. Happened some "blunders" (eg the pro-Israeli actions involving a former "Right Sector`s" member - Andrew Denisenko or shiftless statements and comments of a former organization Speaker - Borislav Bereza).

Both before, during and after Maidan Ukrainian nationalists paid enough attention in several directions:

• Propaganda of intellectual heritage of Ukrainian nationalism (special emphasis on anti-liberalist, conservative-revolutionary and traditionalist aspects of nationalist discourse).
• Highlighting the Ukrainian role in anti-Bolshevism struggle in the past.
• Messianic positioning of Ukraine.
• Destruction of Maidan`s "pro-EU" image. A clear explanation the nationalist position at the Maidan. Emphasizing that the revolutionary struggle is not over, but was suspended because of Moscow's aggression. Separation and opposition to the current oligarchic elite.
• Destruction of illusions towards Russia.

Ukraine support from Russian nationalists

Against the background of the said above told it becomes clear why European nationalists didn't respond by total pro-Ukrainian position to the events of Maidan. The fact that part of European national revolutionaries supported Ukraine is a consequence of their insight, but not organized efforts of Ukrainian nationalists. Perhaps the Ukrainian nationalists captivated the hearts of their European ideological comrades by self-sacrifice and tactical victories (probably many of world nationalists enviously watched videos and photos of street battles in Kiev). However, being in the spotlight and having certain financial and human resources much more could be done.

Concluding the topic of Ukraine and European nationalists, let`s pay attention to two issues. First – a pro-Putin image of nationalists is so intensely imposed on Ukrainians, why is it so? Second, how important for Ukrainian nationalists is cooperation with European comrades?

Let's start with the second part of the first question. Forging the image of "nationalists - Putin`s agents" creates an information matrix which condemns nationalism in general, and therefore - is objectively harmful to Ukrainian nationalist movement. A similar role is played by the rhetoric of "authoritarism", "nationalism" and even "fundamentalism" of Putin`s regime, instead of showing real neo-Bolshevik features of modern Russia, media create a caricatural phantom. They try to show anti-liberal Russia but they don't show really anti-conservative and anti-national Russia.

"Novorossia" support from 
Italian communists

What is the reason for this state of affairs? On the one hand, we must realize that the discourse within which Ukrainian journalists develop their professional skills are quite far from nationalist ideas. On the other hand, is not a meaningless assumption that the owners and the top of the mainstream media corporations carried out the appropriate information policy according to their anti-nationalist position, and their methods are quite sophisticated. Without this assumption it is difficult to explain the image of totally pro-Putin "right-radicals", created by our media and a total silence on European anti-fascist support of "DNR" and "LNR" (Let`s remember the latest pro-Russian actions of Italian «Banda Bassotti» antifascist group, anti-Ukrainian actions in Spain or Spanish communists` participation in a military conflict on the "Novorossia" side).

Spanish communists in ranks 
of "Novorossia" fighters

Speaking about an importance of Ukrainian-European nationalist cooperation we must stress that this cooperation is not an end in itself. It is important from the perspective of:

- Implementation of the nationalist ideas in Ukraine

- Implementation of the Ukrainian nationalist ideas in Europe ("Reconquista", Resurrection of Europe and setting up effective resistance to the new world order).

The strategic prospects of cooperation. Victory of the National Revolution in Ukraine means more or less isolation of the country from Western liberalist regimes and international organizations. Even if nationalists that will come to power after the revolution will go to partial concordat with foreign states and international organizations complete avoiding the isolation will not be able (striking example of this is the story of Franco's Spain partial isolation). The modern world favorites, those forces that shape the new world order are not simply enemies of Ukraine or nationalism, they are enemies of the concept of nation. They are the enemies of the nations, the Christian religion, family, traditional morality and a man. The nationalists, if they really want to be nationalists, have to resist these forces. Accordingly, Ukrainian nationalists will take a direct part in this struggle. In this case, we need a wide range of allies and Friends.

Nationalist conference in France to support Ukraine. Francesco Saverio Fontana at the centre of the photo, Italian nationalist, Azov battalion participant.

To increase the chances of the national revolution in Ukraine and the preservation of its results, Ukrainian nationalists should work with European non-liberalist forces. National revolutions in several European countries at the same time or with a short period of time will be the best option in this case. This will allow to create the bloc to protect the revolutionary achievements. Or nationalist movements should play a role of "Fifth column" in their countries in absence of such bloc. Destabilisation of the liberalist norms will be the minimum program for such "fifth columns" in this case. Maximum program - the successful accomplishment of the national revolution and the subsequent coming to power (Incidentally, European nationalists, who joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Volunteer battalions and are fighting at the Eastern Ukraine now are getting a necessary experience that will be useful in future national revolutions in their countries). 

Moreover, we need to look at the world realistically and realize that the victory of the conservative-nationalist revolution is not guaranteed by 100% either in Ukraine or in other European countries. It’s possible that that "Next will only get worse". In this case, nationalist forces should make every effort to create a more global network structure for resistance to this "beautiful new world" that is coming.

Igor Zahrebelny