Cooperation. This column is a modest reaction today to the dramatic events in the sky over Ukraine on Thursday afternoon, highlighting the positive and encouraging aspects in the relations between the EU and Russia. This optimism has a triple advantage: (1) cooperation with Moscow is useful for Europe; (2) in several areas, it is founded on solid bases - even if speaking about this is often avoided; (3) the current Russian authorities are in favour of it (although some experts say that in Moscow there also exists an opposite tendency). There are numerous examples of cooperation - even if their radiance is limited. Differences of opinion exist of course - and that's normal. However, for the most part the two parties respect the international commitments and procedures in force.
Good partners. The disagreements focus essentially on technical issues. As part of the WTO (World Trade Organisation), the EU has attacked the Russian restrictions on Russia's imports of pork products from the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, asking for a panel to rule on the dispute (see EUROPE 11111). However, on the whole, the efforts aim at strengthening cooperation. Russian-German contact in the area of trade is permanent. On its side, Russia is trying to come closer to Europe and especially wants its citizens to be able to obtain the Schengen visa for access to EU territory. In a more delicate domain, Hungary has announced the signature of memorandum of understanding with Russia on the supply of nuclear power stations.
A strange case. In the industrial domain, we are well aware that cooperation between the EU and Russia has already roused endless discussions about the sale of French military Mistral ships to Moscow - and Paris is unyielding. A different case has emerged in the cooperation between Russia and Italy. The well-known companies Pirelli (Italy) and Rosneft (Russia) have concluded an agreement that is defined as strategic, involving the arrival of a senior Russian director, Mr Igor Sechin, on Pirelli's board of directors. However, Mr Sechin is on the black list of Russians with whom any relationship is forbidden! How is this possible? In fact, there is no problem. He is on the American negative list, but not on the European one. Mr Sechin is thus now part of the board of directors of an EU industrial giant, while being forbidden access to the USA! Is this a voluntary arrangement, or an example of the EU-USA divergence?
Lack of knowledge. Let me recall in passing the telephone calls between Mrs Merkel and Mr Putin. They don't always agree with each other of course, but they speak regularly. On a general level, it is surprising to note to what extent the new European generations (and very probably American too) are ignorant of the influence of Russian culture in Western Europe (and partly also in the USA) - the literature (Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin …) and music (Stravinsky, Mussorgsky …). And who remembers that Vladimir Nabokov was Russian from all points of view and remained so all his life - while being American and European at the same time? And that he wrote his works in several languages?
A young woman. These comments were suggested to me - unwittingly of course - by Astrid Wendlandt, the French-Canadian born in Paris in 1973, a journalist who fell in love with Russia. She says that in Crimea she met patriotism in joy, happy and benevolent, and that in part of the Russian people she met a particular relationship with nature, the sky, the trees. She despises the Russia that travels, which buy football clubs in the West: billions of dollars from gas and oil have cleared off to villas on the Côte d'Azur, to London or elsewhere. What Ms Wendlandt likes is the timeless, authentic Russia, which has not been totally polluted by the race for money… There are still people there who are detached from material things. And she argues firmly that we have no interest in isolating Russia.
Intention respected. Ms Wendlandt also recognises, therefore, the existence of a petty Russia, greedy for wealth and power. Yet today I highlight what is positive and, for the most part, selfless.
I remain faithful to my positive approach, right to this last line.
(FR)