Editor's note: Wu Fei is a senior researcher at Charhar Institute. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

At midnight, Moscow time, Russian President Putin accepts an interview with Austria ORF TV, saying that the European Union is Russia's biggest trade and economic partner, and hoping that Russia and the EU can overcome tariff sanction.

The planned half-hour interview finally lasts 53 minutes, which shows Putin has put a high value on his first visit to Austria.

But the more problems are there within the European Union, the greater the risks and uncertainties for the Russian government. Geopolitical rules of the EU have led to Ukraine problems and peace problems in parts of Syria.

If it intends to develop their economy, the EU should cooperate with Russia to overcome the regional instability to maintain a steady oil price.

Experts have predicted that, ideally, oil prices are expected to be 100 US dollars at the end of the year, which will be a blow for the newly revived EU economy.

After the 2016 US presidential election, Putin has planned to set up new relations with Trump, who has already been influenced by the Russia-gate scandal, though by now no evidence shows that Trump has connections to the incident during his election.

But oil prices once hit an all-time high since early December 2014, after Trump warned Russia to prepare for a strike on Syria.

Putin at the interview has offered veiled criticism of ongoing US investigations, such as the one targeting Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, that he believes Trump's hands are tied because of that.

Trump always argues for a warmer embrace of Russia, often ignoring bipartisan calls to acknowledge the Kremlin as an enemy of the US. Now, between Trump and Putin, the new enemy is the market for Russian oil or US shale oil and gas.

Even Russia does not care about US attack on Syria and potential targets toward which the US fighters launched missiles.

But as oil prices are expected to be reached at a high level. Washington will use its geo-Influence to let the EU and Asian countries purchase American shale oil and gas.

The Russian President says Trump's promises to improve US-Russian relations have stalled because of current political infighting.

And now US think tank makes changes as the US wants to make a big share for the shale oil and gas by letting Saudi Arab keep share of the oil market and kicking Russia out of the EU market.

As the US has officially announced that it will impose steel and aluminum tariffs on its allies, Canada, Mexico and the EU countries, the EU now wants to talk Russia down to rejoin their market during Putin's visit to Austria.

责任编辑/张玲 顾心阳

图文编辑/马延滨

图片来自网络

作者：吴非 察哈尔学会高级研究员、暨南大学教授

文章来源：CGTN，2018-6-5