When considering the theme “Dialogue with Russia” and the selection of appropriate quotations from the speeches of officials such phrases as the following two, are found in unlimited quantities. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: “NATO does not seek confrontation and does not want new cold war”. The President of Latvia Raimonds vējonis: “NATO needs to seek dialogue with Russia, because nobody wants a return to the cold war.” But is the current situation of hybrid warfare better?
Before each meeting of the leaders of the superpowers in different formats or on the sidelines at various forums felt uncertain of the expectations of normalization. Now, many pin their hopes with meeting Donald trump, and Vladimir Putin in Hamburg during the G20 summit, for which the host country chose the motto: “Formation of an interconnected world.” In fact, such a world already formed. The only question remains about the relationship: they should appear as free choice or as imposed by Nations and citizens thank you. The answer depends on the worldview that the West and glorify Stalin’s Russia (see the survey of Levada Center) is different. And under the current system of power in the Kremlin is unlikely to converge.
However, the West and Moscow continue to be treated as partners, though, and apply sanctions against each other. For example, there is widespread and supported, including the Kremlin, the view that it is necessary to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, the settlement of the Syrian conflict (in fact, susceptible to various manipulations of the massacre), to eliminate the “Islamic state” (banned in Russia organization — approx. ed.). However, there are some doubts about the genuine purposes and interest of the Kremlin. Europe and Russia have a relationship of seller and buyer of gas, but they would not be so important if major energy companies of the West increasingly turned to alternative sources and technologies. While the preference for old contacts and persuasion of politicians of “old Europe”. It pays off. When the U.S. Senate has drafted a bill on sanctions, which could affect enthusiasts of the “Nord stream-2”, the Chancellor support the construction of a new gas pipeline to Germany made nervous by the statement.
Angela Merkel, as we know, can be very basic, and very naive. She was able to evaluate the features implemented by the master of the Kremlin policy, but apparently sees this as a transient phenomenon. Supposedly, sometime in the medium term “interconnected world” will return the consent to easily apply to normal business and reduction of emission of greenhouse gases. God forbid… European leaders at the beginning of the era of Putin argued that the West and Moscow share common values. If you approach it cynically, it partially was and remains true, it is enough to recall exported from Russia to the West the capital and laundered money there. Some analysts call it the export of corruption. Anyway, money do their job and bring political interest. Serve as the main key of partnership.
Of course, the West is also hard-earned citizens of Russia. Often together with citizens themselves, among them many creative and opposition to the Kremlin the person who want to preserve freedom of expression. If you look at the future more or less optimistic, the terms partnership and dialogue, first of all, must be attributed to the thinning circles of Russian Democrats, who deserve, at the very least, moral support. Lithuania understood it, and therefore takes in Vilnius organized by Garry Kasparov Forum of free Russia.
Dialogue with Moscow, of course, necessary. For example, in the framework of the Council of NATO and Russia it is even very relevant. But imaginary dialogues, such as the negotiations on the Donbass in the so-called Normandy format, nothing to solve specific problems. The reason for the deadlock: the incompatibility of the ambitious political goals of the parties, even when discussion of the technical or legal details. Attempts to impose something like the “Yalta order” was incompatible with the requirement to comply with international law and respect made by the Eastern European States choice. And this must be the main condition for dialogue.
