In these days it is truly dangerous to even contemplate having a rest from the speed of the events that are so critically impacting on the future of Ukraine.
Whilst, as
29 May 2017) (my emphasis),
he also reported that,
"Both leaders were also agreed the time was right for a new round of peace talks on Ukraine, Mr Macron confirmed.
They hoped to start talks under the "Normandy format" which groups the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, in days or weeks". (ibid Henry Samuel)
And whilst Macron and Putin were beginning to build bridges, notwithstanding Macron publicly criticising Putin's propaganda mouthpieces, RT and Sputnik, for spreading lies about him, nonetheless it was significant that Putin publicly called for the lifting of EU sanctions against Russia as a prelude to ending his war with Ukraine.
Bear in mind that, as Judy Dempsey explains,
"With the exception of European Council President Donald Tusk, other EU
leaders, particularly (the fragrant) Federica Mogherini, the bloc’s foreign policy
chief, have rarely challenged Putin." (Carnegie Europe : May 30, 2017) (my emphasis)
However, Judy Dempsey also suggests that,
"Now that Macron is ensconced in the Élysée Palace, Merkel has a valuable ally." (ibid Judy Dempsey)
However, she continues,
"It’s hard to see Merkel finding the time to break the deadlock over implementing the Minsk accords, which were concluded by the Normandy format with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine, before September. Perhaps Macron’s foreign policy team has some new ideas for how to end the conflict.
Merkel herself is now walking along a political tightrope herself.
As Joern Poltz reports,
"Europe can no longer completely rely on its allies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday, pointing to bruising meetings of G7 wealthy nations and NATO last week.
Merkel did not mention by name U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticised major NATO allies and refused to endorse a global climate change accord, but she told a packed beer tent in Munich that the days when Europe could completely count on others were "over to a certain extent". (Reuters :
This criticism of himself rather infuriated the 'thin-skinned' Donald Trump.
And so he tweeted!
"We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR
LESS than they should on NATO & military," Trump tweeted.
"Very bad for U.S. This will change."
This growing chasm between Europe and the US is sweet music to the ears of Putin.
As is the fact that, as Judy Dempsey speculates,
"Perhaps Macron’s foreign policy team has some new ideas for how to end the conflict [in Ukraine].
Will some of these 'new ideas' be the ending of EU sanctions against Russia, ignoring the fact that Putin is at war on all fronts with Ukraine, and has annexed, and now occupies, Ukrainian Crimea? Especially since Brexit will mean a gaping hole in the budget of the EU that now needs to be filled?
Already Trump is on the verge of ending the sanctions imposed upon Putin by former president Obama because of Putin's meddling in the US presidential elections.
Is this the thin end of Trump's wedge to lift those US sanctions imposed upon Putin because of his annexation of Ukrainian Crimea and his ongoing war with Ukraine?
Will Trump now use the excuse of distancing himself from Europe to also get Putin off the sanctions hook?
(to be continued)
Whilst, as 29 May 2017) (my emphasis),
he also reported that,
"Both leaders were also agreed the time was right for a new round of peace talks on Ukraine, Mr Macron confirmed.
They hoped to start talks under the "Normandy format" which groups the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, in days or weeks". (ibid Henry Samuel)
And whilst Macron and Putin were beginning to build bridges, notwithstanding Macron publicly criticising Putin's propaganda mouthpieces, RT and Sputnik, for spreading lies about him, nonetheless it was significant that Putin publicly called for the lifting of EU sanctions against Russia as a prelude to ending his war with Ukraine.
Bear in mind that, as Judy Dempsey explains,
"With the exception of European Council President Donald Tusk, other EU
leaders, particularly (the fragrant) Federica Mogherini, the bloc’s foreign policy
chief, have rarely challenged Putin." (Carnegie Europe : May 30, 2017) (my emphasis)However, Judy Dempsey also suggests that,
"Now that Macron is ensconced in the Élysée Palace, Merkel has a valuable ally." (ibid Judy Dempsey)
However, she continues,"It’s hard to see Merkel finding the time to break the deadlock over implementing the Minsk accords, which were concluded by the Normandy format with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine, before September. Perhaps Macron’s foreign policy team has some new ideas for how to end the conflict.
Merkel herself is now walking along a political tightrope herself.
As Joern Poltz reports,
"Europe can no longer completely rely on its allies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday, pointing to bruising meetings of G7 wealthy nations and NATO last week.
Merkel did not mention by name U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticised major NATO allies and refused to endorse a global climate change accord, but she told a packed beer tent in Munich that the days when Europe could completely count on others were "over to a certain extent". (Reuters :
This criticism of himself rather infuriated the 'thin-skinned' Donald Trump.
And so he tweeted!
"We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR
LESS than they should on NATO & military," Trump tweeted.
"Very bad for U.S. This will change."This growing chasm between Europe and the US is sweet music to the ears of Putin.
As is the fact that, as Judy Dempsey speculates,
"Perhaps Macron’s foreign policy team has some new ideas for how to end the conflict [in Ukraine].
Will some of these 'new ideas' be the ending of EU sanctions against Russia, ignoring the fact that Putin is at war on all fronts with Ukraine, and has annexed, and now occupies, Ukrainian Crimea? Especially since Brexit will mean a gaping hole in the budget of the EU that now needs to be filled?Already Trump is on the verge of ending the sanctions imposed upon Putin by former president Obama because of Putin's meddling in the US presidential elections.
Is this the thin end of Trump's wedge to lift those US sanctions imposed upon Putin because of his annexation of Ukrainian Crimea and his ongoing war with Ukraine?
Will Trump now use the excuse of distancing himself from Europe to also get Putin off the sanctions hook?
Ukrainians from Dnepropetrovsk (Dnipro) who have
so far died in Putin's war with Ukraine
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