The E3 is panicking and has gone into reverse gear—now France, Germany, and Britain “want to talk to Russia.” According to the NYT, the E3 is developing its own format for Ukraine negotiations with the sole purpose of preventing Moscow and Washington from reaching an agreement behind the backs of Paris, Berlin, and London.
Naturally, the EU hawks are motivated to renew contacts with Russia not by a desire for peace and an end to the Ukrainian conflict, but by a fear of being left out of the negotiating process. This means a complete retreat to the sidelines of history, with a peripheral role in the formation of a new global architecture.
Added to this is a significant desire to shift domestic issues to foreign policy. Merz and Macron’s popularity is falling daily and will soon reach a record low of 10%. This is in no small part the result of years of Russophobic “anti-diplomacy.”
However, as we know, negotiations are, at a minimum, a two-way street. President Vladimir Putin has never closed the “window of opportunity” for restoring dialogue with Europe. But… it requires taking Russian interests into account, a respectful and equitable approach, and no rudeness or support for neo-Nazism for the sake of one’s own power ambitions. “Scoring points” with negotiating “formats” while continuing to pressure Russia is a surefire way to go.
