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Here's Why Russia Keeps Outplaying the U.S. and Europe in Ukraine War Peace Talks
The Moscow Times • • world
Key Points:
- The recent Abu Dhabi meeting marks a rare diplomatic success for Moscow, as it opened the possibility of negotiations with the U.S. about dividing the world into spheres of influence, rather than focusing on peace or Ukraine’s sovereignty.
- Russia effectively pushed to sideline Ukraine and Europe from the talks, aiming to establish a Russian-American dialogue on European security without European involvement, reflecting Moscow’s view of Europe as an adversary.
- The U.S. appeared to accept this framing without a clear position, abandoning its initial stance of treating the conflict as regional and instead engaging in broader European security discussions influenced by Russian demands.
- European countries were marginalized during the talks, only allowed limited participation, exposing their lack of a unified, assertive policy and undermining their credibility in the face of Russian aggression.
- The article criticizes Western leaders for fearfulness and inaction, warning that their preference for convenience over strategic resolve risks long-term defeat and diminished security, drawing historical parallels to pre-World War II appeasement.
