IDM Director Schäffer on Russia–Iran Links and EU Unity

In an interview with Asharq News, IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer commented on the interconnection between Russia’s war against Ukraine and the escalation involving Iran, echoing EU High Representative Kaja Kallas’s assessment.

Schäffer noted that the European Union initially showed a high degree of unity in both cases. Whether this will hold regarding Iran remains uncertain, while divisions have already emerged in the EU’s approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

He highlighted similarities in how both conflicts affect European politics, particularly in exposing internal differences and testing collective action, while stressing that the wars differ in origin and context.

Schäffer also underlined that NATO is a defensive alliance, pointing to clear limits on European support for broader military involvement.

On Russia–Iran cooperation, he pointed to indications of military exchanges and emphasized that sanctions remain the EU’s primary tool, despite internal constraints.

Schäffer concluded that the growing linkage between the two conflicts exerts sustained pressure on EU unity and its ability to act strategically.

Watch the interview (in Arabic) here:

ترابط الجبهات.. كيف تخدم أزمة إيران طموحات بوتين بأوكرانيا؟ | NOW الشرق