Mogherini ... Putin's 'favourite' EU representative ..

The 'fragrant' Federica Mogherini, former member of the Italian Communist party and currently a member of the Italian Democrats of the Left, now holds the critical position as the EU's Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Her election to this top EU post was not without critics, especially from former east European countries who are now members of the EU. They argued that she is too soft on Putin. (right: The young Mogherini with Yasser Arafat)
 

There was further consternation when she choose as her  spokeswoman Catherine Ray (left) , the wife of  

Gazprom lobbyist, Tomas Barros-Tastets. 

This coming week will test severly the 'fragrant' Mogherini's political allegiance towards the EU's fractured political stance towards Putin's invasion of eastern Ukraine, and his annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and its absorbtion into  Russia.

Like Merkel's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the 'fragrant' Mogherini is also chanting the 'mantra' of Putin's Minsk agreement. In her first bi-lateral meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry, this is the 'mantra' that she chanted during their meeting with the press. (U.S. Department of State: 03 December 2014)

Events have somewhat moved on since then. Mogherini now has huge challenges before her as the issue of Ukraine becomes top of her agenda for the coming week.

As reported by Reuters,

"With Moscow showing no sign of reversing its decisiosn [about its annexation of Ukrainian Crimea], Mogherini must tread a fine line between EU governments such as the Baltics, Poland, and Britain which backs tough sanctions on Russia and those such as Italy, Cyprus and Bulgaria that are sceptical about them." (Daily Mail :14 December 2014)     

Mogherini herself does not see sanctions as an end in themself  but, like Frank-Walter Steinmeier, wants to start a dialogue suggested by Putin and that would be between Russia, the EU, and members of  his own Eurasian Economic Union, to discuss Russian concerns about Ukraine's  Free Trade Agreement with the EU. (ibid Daily Mail)

It really beggars belief that both Mogherini and Steinmeir are even willing to consider this suggestion by Putin, whose very criminal acts in Ukraine have led not only to the resumption of the Cold War between Russia, the US, and the EU, but is also fast heading us all towards a Hot War.

  

What is even more galling is that they are both willing to EXCLUDE Ukraine from a discussion ABOUT Ukraine that is being suggested by Putin himself. Do they not realise that Putin would later simply ignore these discussions just as he has done with his Trojan Minsk Proposals?

Is it any wonder that,

"EU governments in eastern Europe particulalrly are suspicious of any attempt to "re-set" relations with  Moscow"? (ibid Daily Mail) (my emphasis)

To-morrow (Tues 16 Dec) the 'fragrant' Mogherini will be visiting Kiev "to have discusions with Poroshenko about eastern Ukraine to help resolve the crisis over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and its support for militants in eastern Ukraine, which led the EU and United States to impose economic sanctions on Russia". (Ukraine Today : Dec. 15, 2014) (my emphasis)

She will also

" ..... raise economic, political and judicial reforms that the EU believes are urgently needed in Ukraine." (ibid Ukraine Today)

Given the fact that Steinmeister and herself are in lock-step together in 

"wanting to start a dialogue suggested by Putin and that would be between Russia, the EU, and members of  his own Eurasian Economic Union", (ibid Daily Mail),

what, exactly, will she be discussing with Poroshenko (left) when one can surmise that what he says will simply be ignored by herself? After all, if she is willing to EXCLUDE him from discussions about the country of which he is president, which Putin has criminally invaded, and who has annexed Ukrainian Crimea; what is she really going to discuss?

I shall hazard a guess and say that:

• she will try to convince him to agree to that suggestion of Putin that she and Steinmeister are in favour of,
• she will use the question of  "economic, political and judicial reforms that the EU believes are urgently needed in Ukraine." (ibid Ukraine Today) as a 'stick' to get him to at least 'partially' agree to Putin's new Trojan suggestion,
• she will also use EU monetary support for Ukraine as yet another 'stick' to swing him in the direction of Putin's Trojan suggestion, and finally,
• she may suggest that Putin's Trojan Minsk Protocols be amended, something which Kutchma is aware may be in the offing. (Interfax Ukraine : 03.12.2014)

What she WILL NOT discuss is;

• all those billions that Yanukovich stole from the coffers of Ukraine and that are now propping up Putin's banks
• all the money that Putin OWES Ukraine for water, gas, and electricity that Ukrainian Crimea is still getting from Ukraine, and
• all those billions that Yanukovich and his criminal cohorts have spirited out of Ukraine whilst he was president, and that even the United States is determined to help Ukraine find and recover billions of dollars of assets it says were stolen by its former president and his aides.

No-one in the EU wants to confront Putin about the billions of dollars that were stolen from Ukraine and that now props up his banks! And which Putin KNOWS ABOUT! Not even Merkel has raised this issue with Putin. 

Yet they all gloss over the fact that Putin is bankrolling right-wing EU fascist parties!

What does all of this tell us about the 'fragrant' ex-communist Mogherini? 

As was once said about Richard Nixon,

"Would you buy a second-hand car from this man"? 

One could equally say,

"Would you buy a second-hand Mercedes from Mogherini?"

(to be continued)