Putin: Start Talking

We have in power a bunch of greenhorn politicians when it comes to foreign affairs, backed by a foreign office which, at least until recently, wore ignorance of Russia, what it means and how it thinks, as a badge of honour. But we have to talk to the Kremlin and that means talking to Putin.

Modern international politics is no longer about breast beating, red lines and narrow national interest. Indeed in the modern interconnected world it can be argued that the only way to serve the national interest is to get along with everybody. In other words what once may have been good for Caesar is no longer any good for us. Because in the modern world there is a new dimension. We call it cyberspace. It covers interconnected communications, management systems, control mechanisms, social intercourse and attitudes, trade, manufacturing and money. Over all these fields there are now no defined borders. No single political entity rules alone. No wealth can be built and sustained without engagement with so called enemy and so called friend.  The rising generation sees itself  first as  a member of the interwoven human family and second of a certain nationality.

There is no doubt that the Kremlin has over the last ten years played a fairly weak hand with extraordinary skill and advanced its global reach in a way which has annoyed the West no end. There have also been some rather clumsy mis-steps, including Salisbury and failing to control Assad’s addiction to the use of chlorine gas. But Crimea is entirely, absolutely and completely the fault of the West.

What now has to happen is the opening of a new dialogue, based not upon a list of confessions demanded and atonement to be enacted, but on a clean sheet. No good at all can come from confrontation but there is good for everyone with a bit of give and take based on common interest and cooperation.