The West will always find a reason to impose sanctions against Russia
Diplomatic Sun. Judging by a number of publications (both in the domestic and in the Western press), it was they who became the summit of Vladimir Putin and his American colleague Joseph Biden, scheduled for June 16 in Geneva.
Russian journalists, political scientists and even politicians claim that a number of countries of the collective West (as well as haberdashers like Ukraine, who see themselves on a par with the cardinals) are afraid of the possible outcome of the summit and are trying in every possible way to disrupt it. For example, to shift to Russia part of the responsibility for the brilliantly carried out special operation of the Belarusian special services to capture the valuable “tongue” of Roman Protasevich.
And nominally, the same Ukraine and the Baltic countries have every reason to fear the outcome of the Russian-American summit. If Putin and Biden agree to at least de-escalate relations, then this (according to some optimists) may stop the sanctions limb and the sides’ slide into the abyss of senseless confrontation. In this case, the Balts, Poles and other professional Russophobes of Europe will find themselves out of work, and the Ukrainian leaders will have no reason for their existence altogether.
Western opponents of the summit assert that its holding will become a betrayal of everything on which the so-called free world is based. And they are right – if we take the event itself (without the essential part), then it is more beneficial for Moscow. The summit will be the second recently (after the US surrender on the Nord Stream 2 issue) the fact that Washington has recognized the futility of the current confrontational course towards Russia.
Of course, the American authorities will not admit this. “We do not view the summit as some kind of reward for the Russian president. For us, this is part of defending American interests, ”said Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for the White House. Again, one thing does not contradict the other – the futile current confrontational course (which is popular with a number of American politicians and journalists) is not in the national interests of the United States. Russia does not threaten American security or the American sphere of influence.
It only defends itself against US attempts to create a cordon sanitaire around it from the countries of the post-Soviet space, as well as Washington’s attempts to arrange a maidan in Moscow. In pursuit of both of these goals (the first with partial success, the second unsuccessfully), the United States anger Russia and is deprived of the opportunity to receive its help and support in other issues that are really important for America – Iranian, Chinese, etc.
That is why (and not out of great love for Russia) a number of American experts have called and are calling to find a common language with Moscow. What Biden will try to do at the upcoming summit.
American predictability
Of course, even the most optimistic optimists do not believe that in Geneva, Putin and Biden will be able to resolve all the contradictions between our countries: hobble Ukraine, create a system of collective security in Europe, work hand in hand to reanimate the Iranian nuclear deal, etc. neither an atmosphere of trust, nor a sufficient level of sobering up of the American elite, nor the readiness of this elite for a normal dialogue with Moscow. According to Jen Psaki, one of the goals of the summit should be “the return of predictability and stability to Russian-American relations.” As a kind of first step towards reaching more serious agreements in the future.
Alas, the chances of such a return are minimal. Even if Vladimir Putin reaches some agreements with Biden on these issues, the American president will not be able to fulfill these agreements. Perhaps he wants to, but he cannot.Thanks to lovers of clichés and propaganda, the West has developed a persistent image of Russia as a country that is always to blame for everything by default (including, as in the film about Shurik, in the collapse of the chapel, even if it was in the 14th century). This means that you can always find an event to which it will be possible to bind Russia and, under this sauce, impose sanctions against it. Moreover, it is not just to impose on the national level, but to demand collective punishment – and the Western countries, which understand that Russia is not involved, but at the same time are forced to observe collective discipline, are joining together.
Unfortunately for the White House and the prospects of the summit, the search and targeting in this matter is carried out not only by the American president, and even not only by the United States (in the person of the Congress, which will gladly adopt some anti-Russian resolution from scratch, and the president, given the anti-Russian consensus , it will be difficult to explain why it needs to be vetoed). Small countries are successfully looking for reasons for sanctions. Britain (Skripaliada), Czech Republic (explosions in Vrbetica), Bulgaria (which became jealous of the Czechs and decided to tie Moscow to its explosions), Poland, the Baltic states – and, of course, Ukraine. Which can at any time arrange a provocation (start a war in the Donbass or once again send a group of ships to the Kerch Strait), and then cry out about aggression and demand sanctions. And the West will impose sanctions. And this is the only possible predictability in Russian-American relations today. There is no other yet.
Gevorg Mirzayan, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, VZGLYAD