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The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania called the French-German initiative to promote the EU-Russian President Vladimir Putin’s summit to be “irresponsible” and “historical myopia”, which shows that there are serious differences within the EU on how to resolve the deteriorating issue. . Relationship with the Kremlin.
Gabrielius Landsbergis spoke to the Financial Times after Berlin and Paris made new proposals on how the EU can better engage with Moscow surprised its EU allies.
The diplomat stated that German Chancellor Angela Merkel hopes that the EU will consider inviting Putin to hold a summit with EU leaders. The initiative has the support of French President Emmanuel Macron.
This German-French Initiative On Wednesday, on the eve of the EU Council summit, diplomats in Brussels were caught off guard, triggering strong opposition from other EU countries, including Russia’s neighboring countries.
Landsbergis said that it would be irresponsible to restart the meeting with Russia when Moscow was “closest to Soviet totalitarianism.”
He added: “It may be considered misfortune to fall into the trap once or twice, but it seems to be historically short-sighted to continue to do so for ten years and ten years.”
At the same time, the former President of Estonia Thomas Hendrik Ilves said on Twitter: “Merkel and Macron either knew nothing or knew nothing about the 80-year history and the country betrayed by the Germans. I don’t know.”
The Franco-German proposal was made after a meeting between US President Joe Biden and the Russian President in Geneva last week to stabilize the deteriorating US-Russian relationship.
In a speech in the Bundestag on Thursday, Merkel said that the European Union should seek “direct contact” with Russia like Biden.
“It’s not enough for US President Joe Biden to talk to the Russian President,” she told German lawmakers. “I welcome it, but the EU must also create a form of dialogue. Otherwise, we will not be able to resolve the conflict.”
Defenders of the German-French initiative pointed out the stricter content of their proposed summit text and vowed to seek a “firm and coordinated response” to any further “malicious, illegal and destructive activities” in Russia.
When dealing with Russia, the German and French language raised the possibility of economic sanctions as part of the EU’s arsenal.
But after the late-night meeting of ambassadors on Wednesday night aimed at resolving differences, the most difficult issues will be left to the leaders to resolve at the Brussels summit on Thursday night.
The proposed text says that this specifically includes a “review” of “existing forms of dialogue with Russia, including leaders-level dialogue.”
It also requires debate on a long list of areas designated by Germany and France for “selective engagement” with Russia.
These include the environment, the Arctic, cross-border cooperation, energy, health, space, and the fight against terrorism and organized crime. There are also a series of foreign policy issues on the list, including attempts to revive the Iran nuclear deal, as well as Syria and Libya.
Merkel said on Thursday that the European Union must “determine an agenda of common strategic interests” with Russia in areas such as “climate change, peace and security” and resolving conflicts in Syria and Libya.
But she also tried to dispel the impression that she was trying to please Putin. She said that individual EU member states are responding to the “substantial provocations by Russia” in an “uncoordinated way” and need to better coordinate their practices.
“We must establish mechanisms so that we can respond in a united and collective manner [such] Provocation,” she said. “Only in this way can we learn to face Russia’s mixed attacks.”
In her last speech in the Bundestag as prime minister before the federal election in September, Merkel emphasized that because the EU has a special “responsibility” for Ukraine, Belarus and the western Balkan countries, it “must give appropriate support to Russia in these countries.” Activity response.
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