Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a meeting with Russian and French businessmen during the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum on May 25, 2018. Photo: AFP / Dmitry Lovetsky
M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times: Western leaders back in Russia as tensions appear to ease
East-West relations seem to have changed over past 10 days, as three major Western leaders attend St Petersburg forum
East-West relations have transformed over the past 10-day period. Russia’s isolation from the West after the Maidan coup in Kiev appears to have warmed as abruptly as it began.
Three major Western leaders – German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe – visited Russia during the period since May 18, mainly to attend the St Petersburg Economic Forum. But they had one mantra to chant: Russia is an indispensable partner – and one offer to make – despite sanctions, economic and political ties with Russia are possible and necessary.
On the other hand, US President Donald Trump’s critics, who accuse him of causing a trans-Atlantic rift, have had a rethink, since he may have instead triggered an overall easing of East-West tensions, as America’s European partners dust off their “Ostpolitik” to seek an apparent rapprochement with Russia.
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WNU Editor: I expected this rapprochement to only happen after a political settlement on the Ukraine war was reached. Apparently not. Other issues more important than Ukraine are now surfacing up .... the Syrian war, Iran sanctions, the economy, etc. .... that Western leaders have decided that relations with Russia need to be strengthened, and now is the time to fill in the void that the U.S. (because of internal politics in Washington on everything Russian) has left open.
Usa being isolated as they deserve..
ReplyDeleteThe thing is: politicians are humans too. And they too watch TV. And they see what's happening on CNN. Russia hysteria with no shred of evidence for more than a year. ..24/7...clapper, comey etc have not only ruined the fbi but their doing and reporting about them and their "we don't need evidence just obey" approach is backfiring not just in America but worldwide. Either show the evidence why you did all this, or go to jail for what you did and shut up. Most people believe there won't be any evidence. Yet again. No evidence and 24/7 CNN telling you "but trump is xyz and a traitor" and you start to think differently about Russia. That's what cnn doesn't seem to get. They do more damage than good. Far more damage.
ReplyDeleteTrump is despised not due to cnn but his self. As anon said below. He's a outspoken racist,irrational,against women at times and flip flops so much on decisions that no one actually believes him any longer. Trump will be the reason that usa is left alone
DeleteI think CNN is actually the reason Trump won in the first place. The ordinary man can see beyond such cheap propaganda
DeleteAnon
ReplyDeletethe idea that one year into this huge investigation is overly long is a hysterical comment on your part if you compare it to recent similar investigations. Note how many indictments there already have been and, more to the point, how crazed the reaction from Trump and his allies and how this heightens daily....the birds will soon start singing and then....
MM
ReplyDeleteCnn?--trump voters listen to fox...try russian playing around to deliver electoral college since hillary won pop vote by 3 million
the average man is only average and that suggest the popular vote and not the gimmicky electoral college