turkey demands the u.s. ends its support for syrian kurds amid a spat between the two countries over washington trained border forces. hundreds of prison guards go on strike over unsafe what conditions a french jail sought to be a hotbed for islamic radicalization. and leaked e-mails raise concerns over how do you think cases were handled during the rio olympics in twenty sixteen. r.t. dot com has more on these and plenty of other stories while up next here on r.t. international so if you go talk to finland's former prime minister about europe's

future role in global politics. welcome to sophie and sophie shevardnadze calls for european reform grow in response to rising skepticism as to block able to stay united and take care of itself i ask finland's former prime minister ask. the european dream of a continent a liberal order is faltering economic inequality comes instead of common prosperity political bickering and resistance to your grass is stalling common decisions and the common foreign policies for you into foreign solutions to global problems what happened to the european vision will the union prove to be resilient and adjust to the challenges. it will crumble bearing dreams of

a united europe with. mr howard thank you very much for being with us today so much to discuss regarding europe and what's going on in the european union right now so you were actually instrumental in bringing your country to the european union and you are a very pro e.u. figure. lately we have high profile voices for instance germany sigman gabrial. care they're actually calling to set up a euro zone finance ministry just streamline all the foreign policy decisions to have panel european elections in your opinion as united states of europe what you were aiming for when you were bringing your country to the european union no i i don't think that that is the right call in these circumstances and i think we need a stronger european union but it's very important that the union will and i was very carefully what are those areas where integration these are really needed and

economic growth potential creation of common market seeing real single market it's not yet fully completed environmental protection. and security matters you know broad sense i think that in these areas the european union can play a major role and it's needed is more countries especially in europe they need to scale and the european union can provide that scale that course the reason why finland decided to join also seemed gabrielle said that in order for europe to become politically stronger it needs to be even stronger in order to become more cyber and in decades to come i mean someone from russia's opinion from china is a painting from united states of painting and do you feel like brussels should have more power than the national capitals in the european states because becoming

stronger politically kind of means that as well i think it's very critical question they were in the world what is the foundation of strength. is it political political integration is stability. or or what kind of capacities you need in order to be influential and politically powerful i strongly believe that at the end of the day everything depends on your scientific and technological capacity. those nations those need regions in the world. that are able to create the best potential for the scientific and technological development and innovation are going to be universe today and especially in the in the future and that is what i hope that the european union is able to do we have a lot of potential in europe and europe should use that potential you know much

more efficient way and then political integration is secondary he it's needed but it is secondary to this let's say foundation to the scientific and technological potential i think that's a great vision of how europe should develop but the politicians who are in charge in europe right now do you believe that the political integration is number one and i mean it seems that when everything else comes second or third so what would you say to those politicians who actually believe that tighter european integration more brussels control is needed in order for europe to be stronger on a world map i think it's very important to understand that yes we need better political control and coordination in specific areas not everywhere it's very important to understand that that the european integration doesn't compensate the national decision making not eating in certain areas we need even local decision making and so so this very important to be to be understood and i think we have we

have had time to time that kind of feeling in europe that constitutional development is the most critical one and there are that kind of federalist approach that is still alive but i think that more and more people in europe understand that actually going to be growth potential is the most important we are worried about these populist movements and they are doing a lot of concern they create a lot of concern talk to me about this population. i mean should they be taken seriously is it something that really can shape the future outcome of how politics works in iraq or is it a thing of that will pass it's a good question and i think these populist movements are an indication there are indications that that economy is not doing very well or it has not been doing going to also i feel like those movements score their votes on the anti brussels

bureaucracy year but it's over so that when looking back at populism in that we have these not the first time in history we have facing populist movements we have seen. previously even more dangerous and more complicated process is than what we are experiencing now and all is they have been linked to social and economic development when times are tough people are disappointed you you immediately start to ask for simple solutions you you are easily taking seriously the movements that do not have a realistic political platforms and that is syria will use going for them as a realistic political forces i think we have we have the bracks it it's you know it's you know it's a good indication erin lappin was the second runner up french presidential election i mean what else i mean i'm not even citing other countries where parties are

becoming third or second in the parliament that's quite something to actually take into consideration but i think you bracks it is a good example it's worse based on the reasons why. majority of british people wanted to to to say yes for brakes it it was it was because of because of circumstances very much because of circumstances and if you look at the consequences that. politico. movement that was in favor of bricks it what is there all of that now it's it's not that relevant and there are more and more discussion about what is going to happen at the end of the day in similar way i think that in france. this nationalist movement. it has difficulties so i don't believe that these populist movements are we have to

take them seriously they are relevant forces are absolutely but i don't believe that they are able to create any kind of alternative for europe. so i feel like all that we just talked about the turn it forces to practice it has created sort of a tough consultation between the pro e.u. faker's forest as martin schultz says of european constitutional treaty should we propose to member states and those who refused to sign should just leave your opinion i mean do you feel like this sort of a stick before the carrot approach will help consolidate european union i don't believe in that and i think mr should should ask why his party was not that popular in germany i think that that is my personal opinion that europe should analyze very carefully why we had these difficulties we faced and actually why europe as well is coming out of that crisis now if you look at the last three four years the us

european economies have been growing faster than the united states since two thousand and fourteen the e.u. has it it can be growth rate has been higher than in the us and it's not poor coincidence it's because of the fact that we have made certain reforms and we have to continue with these reforms not to return back to the dushan old debate which we have early two thousand we did not lead to anything but also have hurt for the last three four years a lot of talk about how he use needs. be reformed how ill and it's current state isn't working anymore it has become obsolete in it's to change do you feel like any real change will take place or this will never go beyond declarations i think you're being new news it told us has not been as good as the most excited people are saying but it has never been as bad as those who are negative saying the

european market works many of the european economies are doing quite well now. we have achieved a lot in europe but the fact is the world is changing and you have to be able to to to preserve your competitiveness and and europe has to work for that and as i said earlier i don't believe that their constitution is the right call the fact is that we have to concentrate in these foundations of wealth and prosperity and economic growth and the creation of jobs. which can lead to two positive results so that is that a fair assessment if i say that overall european politicians are content with nips and tax and they just go with the flow. i think it. is typical that only legacies play a big crawl in politics and it's not only in the european union that sense we are

as well in the united states in russia in japan in china in many countries and i have to say that i'm coming from a small country i think sometimes those who have imperial history or history of the great successes in the history they don't fully understand the world is changing very fast and and we have to be able to to change the model of operation or our concept in a way that it is in line with the with the con. text and if you look at it because you can develop and for example now the context we are living in with the next five to ten years it's dramatically going to be changed and if you're not wake up you don't understand what's going on and you are doing the wrong conclusions. you kind of so by you know there are other politicians who actually believe that ecology progress doesn't change the core human nature and that's why that should be for

a different place i'm sorry to bring the chorus again from sigmund gavriel but it was hilarious he actually said that european voice isn't heard amongst russia and china and united states and that's because europe european union is a vegetarian amongst meat eaters and it was a very vivid quote so do you think do you think do you think you should become more predatory how would that look like i think europe has values which foundation for for that for the future of europe us as well is. i don't want to say that technology development means that you have to you have to. make. a human aspects or cultural aspects but the fact is that they can't use are moving forward much faster than cultures cultural changes are very difficult to be done and these legacies are big problem for for political decision makers and europe has

its own legacies and it has to be able to solve these legacies and these legacies are linked to the fact that the european story has been creates story but those factors which are which were behind success story of europe. twenty thirty forty years ago not that much relevant anymore mr aho we're going to take a short break right now when we're back we'll continue talking to finland's former prime minister escobar talking about current issues european union is facing stay with us. with the islamic state and its many confederates defeated or facing defeat in syria what is next for this war torn country what justification exists for the us to maintain military forces that does washington want syria partition itself and why.

here's what people have been saying about rejected in the senate is full on awesome the only show i go out of my way to launch you know what it is that really packs a punch oh yeah it is the john oliver of our three americans doing the same we are apparently better than blue nothing. to see people you never heard of love right back to the night president of the world bank so very. many seriously you sent us an e-mail.

back with ten months former prime minister mr. so let's talk about favorite media subject don't trump the president of united states i mean he's got to make it harder for the you to pursue foreign policy. i think. it's difficult to. into preached what the u.s. is now trying to do and i think that it's quite clear that the influence of the united states on the world stage is in decline that is my conclusion is partially if this kind of trend is going to be continued but do you feel like that my result i mean the way donald trump is that might result in america losing its influence over the european union absolutely and and that means that if there is going to be areas where europe is going to play

a bigger role. be also because of the fact that the u.s. is not that much interested in certain global issues anymore let's look at environment so maybe it's not that bad of a thing after all europe can become actually independent and make its own decisions yeah that is that this one aspect but then there is another aspect if you look at the global environmental protection for example if the united states is not active and playing its role i think it's very difficult to save the world so so in spite of the fact that sometimes it's easier to make decisions without the united states i think that this is without the united states influence are not as influential as they should be on one hand if you talk about global issues but on the other hand if you talk about foreign or geopolitical issues maybe you want the force to be involved in wars that you don't know where you're fighting them for right and we look at how many words he were was dragging to by united states that actually like

at the end of the day resulted in a disaster for everybody i personally believe that that the world should be rule based and it's in the interest of everyone that there are as many common rules as possible in trade in economy collaboration in security area. finland was hosting the sea a sea of european. the security cooperation or cooperation conference nineteen seventy five we spoke about confidence building measures and i think that is what the world needs confidence and confidence is based on on common rules i strongly believe in that and the u.s. and europe but he played a big role in that the united states has been. a partner in creating that rule based system i'm afraid that that. through air force and especially language president trump has been using. i'm not that confident that the

contribution of the united states to that food based system is as relevant as it has been. let's talk about european trent's worrying transpiration as i know that according to related state of. the european union may be facing at demographical crisis in a near future i mean your neighbors what the baltic states and their numbers have propped i mean really dropped drastically and a lot of people are actually thinking twice between actually we're actually getting pregnant so i'm thinking is admitting refugees going to actually help revitalize d. aging workforce i think the fact is that there are fundamental issues that people are living longer and that means that there is a serious or it is an issue people are living longer that means that that the whole economy system that has been based on the idea that that we can survive with our

social systems when people are living let's say. ten fifteen years less than today i think it is going to be a major major challenge second to the second issue is that the supply of labor the fact is that digitalization can help us a lot in both the chile station can help us to take care of these. millions and millions of senior citizens who need care and more care and secondly it can help us to survive with the with with this demographic charley with the demographic challenge of labor force but for sure for the third we need immigration but refuse he. policies and immigration policy should be in my opinion separated you cannot solve. the labor force challenges by by using ritchie policies kind of race may be the best example canada has taken

a lot of immigrants for a long period of time and they have tried to balance between immigration policy and the refugee policy and that balance has worked quite quite well and the integration of people has succeeded we have to learn from that experience yes so your country finland will accept seven hundred fifty refugees next year that's the correct number i think it's a bit higher but but anyway i mean we have called the small number yet do you feel like countries should be forced into accepting refugees if they don't want to i think we have to take share of our responsibility that is that is needed in the present world countries cannot ignore we have sent refugees to other countries as well from from finland something bad to tide and and and i think it's very important to understand that the people need protection and we have to share our

our responsibility so i want to talk to you a little bit about how russia spear sieved in the european union i mean we seem to have this love and hate relationship lately and indeed friend european elections last year were heard about a lot about supposed russian involvement i just really wonder you tell me it is you are probably see russia this like all mighty country that can actually do. other countries election of late the internet i mean they really seeing where that powerful i'm not expert i cannot comment on that but but there are a lot of that kind of discussion going on but i think the fundamental problem is that we have to we have to start understanding this independence between western europe and russia and i think good example of what's going on is a trait. between russia and the european union last year do you know what happened . trade increased actually the e.u.

exports to russia increased more china's exports to russia and the trade figures increase by more than twenty percent last year in spite of the sanctions in spite of counter sanctions so there is an independent interdependence and we have to be able to to find ways and means to cope with the each other's eyes spoke about this question as i spoke about this confidence building measures i think it's very important to go back to ninety seventy five let's look at very carefully what we decided to do in helsinki ninety seventy five i believe that many of these ideas would be and could be extremely relevant in today's world and we committed to to stay behind of these principles so stances were different world was different but those principles are in my opinion they are quite relevant today i'm sure they are and i'm not debating that but in today's russia the way russia sees

it there are two fundamental problems first is the sanctions and anti russian sanctions in a dozen largent let's talk about the interaction sanctions i know that your president has actually said that. this sanctions are hurting russia and here up do you think there could be damaging enough for them to reverse that actually told through trade has increased in spite of the sanctions so imagine how much of whatever you say lesson is or is that what is the point so we can do much more if there are no that kind of political problems but but i said you need confidence building measures and it's not one sided effort it's two sided effort and i think we have you have to go back to why sanctions are cured and you have to be able to solve those problems behind that but. that is something that is almost unsolvable because there are good there are bad for the only one thing that's the point to do

you think the sanctions that work in the in the in the present world you cannot say there are problems that are installable that have to be solutions we have solutions even during the cold war period why not to have solutions in today's world so you and nato have been. have established a joint center in finland to fight fight hybrid threats aiming to destabilize europe and. nato as assistant secretary general actually said that russia will be the one object being watched very closely finland is partially financing that do you believe that russia represents a threat to finland but i think we have to be prepared for new threats and world is not what do you and i believe russia does if you actually i think it's not relevant to look at where these threats are coming from i think it's relevant that that even small countries have to be able to prepare for that type of new type of security

risks i understand that every country in the world almost every country in the world use it well what would those security risks be i mean if it's not russia that what there are many kind of risks criminality criminal affords us as a best well traditional security risks are there for sure when then tension is there the risk risks are higher and small country has to prepare for that and finland is doing that because of our national interests and we are doing that at the end of the day we are doing that even on our own i think finland has been able to actually carve out a perfect balance between good relations with russia and the west somehow you just managed to juggle your ira than other countries and you feel like a finland could be mediator between russia and other european countries should others take example of how you guys do it it's difficult to say to others that please follow our model but. i think i'm i'm quite satisfied how finland has been able to succeed even in these quite difficult circumstances and the dialogue

between finland and russia works on the highest level as well and that's a good thing i don't mean that there are not problems between finland and russia time to time as well but we have been able to solve those problems because of the fact that the style goes on and when we accept the fact that circumstances are a bit different than they have been and hopefully we can we can also solve these problems with their with their let's say external environment but russia and finland off in london russia cannot do that although strauss thank you very much for the center of all the best and have a nice rest of the state thank you so much. is

iran must going to fit in to steve jobs kids by coming up with innovative products you know the electronic gadgets market is a little bit different in the car business because the car business is in a kind of bound by the highway system and you're bound by the whole infrastructure that is the automotive industry and the lobbying of the automotive industry so it's a bit difficult to be disruptive in that industry in a way he's going to open up is charging stations with one nine hundred fifty style burger and shake joints with servers on roller skates ok that's that's an idea that might take off that might be a new like starbucks like third place that people go to to have an experience that might work. for the stand. out. from one house. i

know that i know there are a lot of trouble but there are rather you know profit off the floor for them because of that. i'm going on that compared to my next question then you can keep an. eye on it is a channel for truffle that it is in the living. room i was going to. punish all the council. members out on the hay. and the toefl. on you say you have to pay off the time in theory this is. true she ought to have a. model for that even after the whole fuck around mr hates it for jim and then lawyer for one of our freddy and you for. the money.

if you'll promise you'll see latest friend of yours as i'm sitting on the lid i was in that you know then i actually pulled. just pulling hard because the rest is what i have to do drink it all or give it give it to the uncle in example when i see it yes i'll kill you all it's a deal ok just call it. and anything and then drink the rest. ok that's. enough.