a dutch news platform did an interview with a former russian diplomat. he worked for the russian foreign ministry for 20 years and he was the only diplomat to publicly cut ties with putin after the invasian of ukraine.
it’s quite a long text but i think it’s an interesting perspective, so i pasted an english translation below
Europa komt uit de startblokken, met de ene topontmoeting na de andere. Vol plannen van Europese leiders. "Poetin is echt niet onder de indruk van blaffende honden."
nos.nl
Russian ex-diplomat: Europe fails to impress, speak to Putin in gangster language
Russian defected UN diplomat Boris Bondarev has a hard head about European plans for Ukraine. From the beginning it has been "mainly words, words and words," he says in conversation with Nieuwsuur. "What is missing are deeds."
At the security summit in London on Sunday, European leaders came up with plans for security and peace in Ukraine. With France, the U.K. will also initiate a peace plan, an alternative to a deal between the U.S. and Russia.
But that, according to Bondarev, does not impress the Kremlin at all. The plans are not concrete enough. Europe remains too dependent on America, he believes. According to him, it only shows that Europe is not prepared for anything. "We are entering the fourth year of war and Europe has no vision. Europe has no plan. Europe has no strategy."
Bondarev, who worked for the Russian Foreign Ministry for 20 years, was the only Russian diplomat to publicly break with Moscow when Russia invaded Ukraine. As long as Vladimir Putin is in power, Kyiv has no serious negotiating partner, he says. "Every negotiator is an extension of Putin and his imperialist plans."
False bravery
The increase in defense budgets announced by several countries is having no effect now, according to former diplomat Bondarev. "It takes a while to build industrial facilities to produce weapons. Then it takes 10, 15 years before your armed forces have more weapons. But the war is henceforth."
All is not enough, Bondarev believes. He sharply criticizes the West. "Not enough arms supplies to Ukraine. Not enough aid. Not enough pressure on Russia. Not enough, not enough, not enough," he says. Fear of Russia underlies this, he believes. "Europe is afraid to do anything completely. Just like Donald Trump. Despite his false courage, he too is afraid of Russia."
Thereby - says the former diplomat - the Americans have little to offer Russia. "Trade with the U.S. has been quite insignificant compared to trade with Europe or with China. China gives Russia what it needs. Putin will never sacrifice that."
Sauer agrees somewhat with the ex-diplomat. "NATO chief Mark Rutte says he is in close contact with Trump. That he talks to him almost daily. That he is sure Trump wants peace. But all we see is the opposite: all we see is that Trump wants to do business with Russia."
When you talk to a gangster, who only understands the language of force, you have to speak the same language.
If it turns out that Trump does not want to go along with European plans for Ukraine, Sauer says Europe will really have to step up to the plate. That's entirely possible, too, he says. "Money enough. There is 250 billion in Russian frozen assets in a Belgian account. That can go to Ukraine's defense industry, one of the best right now. We think we are not powerful enough, but Europe is really a giant bloc."
Therefore, Europe should also stop fixating on American support, Bondarev believes. "Russia is at war with Europe." He cites cyber attacks, sabotage of underwater cables, interference in elections and bribing European politicians as examples. "European leaders say: Putin is at war with us, but we are not at war with Putin. That sounds schizophrenic."
The basic rule of diplomacy, which Europe does not understand, according to the former diplomat, is: "If you talk to a gangster, who only understands the language of force, you have to speak the same language. European leaders think: negotiate, negotiate and negotiate and be polite. But Putin won't stop until he understands that his next move may be his last. That's when Europe declares nuclear war on him."
Sauer also thinks Putin has no intention of stopping the war at all. "In Putin's experience, things are moving in the right direction. He has a long breath. Even though he is destroying the Russian economy and driving a whole generation of young people to their deaths. Putin will just keep doing that."
Bondarev outlines the current situation one more time, using a Russian fable. "An elephant moves through the city and a small dog barks at him. The latter says to other dogs: look, I am brave, I am barking at the huge elephant. But the elephant didn't even notice the dog. Just like Putin," says Bondarev. "You can bark at him, he will smile and at the same time he will continue bombing Ukraine."
