Ladies and Gentlemen, the Winter Olympics are over TODAY; and, the gold medalist in every category is: President Vladimir Putin of Russia. “Russia said Tuesday [February 15, 2022] it was pulling back some of its forces near the Ukrainian border to their bases, in what could be the first major step towards de-escalation in weeks of crisis with the West. Moscow released few details and there was no immediate outside confirmation of the withdrawal, which the Kremlin said had always been planned despite Western “hysteria” over a feared invasion of Ukraine [my formatting].” (Mainville and Zaks). While the streets of Ukraine breathe a sigh of relief on that positive note of hope for peace, the same cannot be said of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
For the truth of the matter is this:
After a fierce and relentless—yet futile—propaganda campaign to dissuade the Europeans from ever granting the Nord Stream 2 project operating license solely upon groundless claims of ‘Russian malice’ and imperial aspirations to subdue Europe [emphasis added], Zelensky resorted to the oldest trick in the book to infuriate President Putin and provoke an aggressive impulse on the latter’s part; that is, pursuing NATO membership for Ukraine. What Zelensky thought was his silver bullet to kill the Nord Stream 2 project, once and for all, turns out to be a pathetic and doomed strategy to adopt in facing a grandmaster of statecraft, such as Vladimir Putin.
[See the “Nord Stream: More Than a Pipeline,” series, cited at the end of this article]
For Putin has ingeniously turned Zelensky’s curse-spell into a blessing. He proved to the world; and, foremost, to his European counterparts; that the infernal boogyman professed to make his advent from the east of the continent to devour its western domain, is nothing but a mythical creature born of Zelensky’s Russo-phobic imagination. Russia is no threat to Europe! It is ridiculously absurd to even fantasize that the hand of the swordsman should willingly wield the sword it holds to cut his own flesh—except in the case wherein the swordsman is suicidal. European security and peace are as sacred and as much of priority to Russia as they are to the United States. Only a pitiable fool would think otherwise!
More so, President Putin has seized the opportunity to evince that Russia is a compatible part with the pan-European body—namely, in terms of diplomacy for the sake of the collective well-being of the European whole. And that this very diplomacy—i.e. Russo-European diplomacy—is both functional and productive.
Worth reiterating continually,
““The determination of Russia’s European identity is not entrapped by questions of political and economic modeling, as many so hastily assume, but chiefly hangs upon the question of utility. This particular notion of usefulness, or role, within a European context constitutes one of the main pillars defining Russia’s place in history—that remains sacrosanct for many Russians today. Its telos is simple, order. A state of pan-European order, wherein cooperative and constructive partnerships are requisite amongst the vested great powers, with Russia as one of its lawful sentinels.” (Nasif 1) [see my LinkedIn article, “It Is Now Bound to a Single Act of Faith: Overcoming the 1999 Kosovo and the 2014 Ukraine Syndromes”]” (Nasif)
In fine, Russia’s self-actualization can only be realized through the preservation and prosperity of the European whole—not upon its ruins!
Related Publications: “It Is Now Bound to a Single Act of Faith: Overcoming the 1999 Kosovo and the 2014 Ukraine Syndromes;” “Zelensky’s Ukraine: An Asset or a Liability for the United States?;” “A Game of Signals: Germany at the Fore, but Europe at the Center;” “Nord Stream 2: More Than a Pipeline;” “Nord Stream 2: More Than a Pipeline [Part II: Migrants Border Crisis and Russian Military Build-up on Ukraine’s Border];” “Nord Stream 2: More than a Pipeline [Part III: Not an Imperial Russian Enterprise];”“Understanding Vladimir Putin: President Putin WON’T ‘Invade and Occupy’ Ukraine;” “The Profound Symbolism Underlying Macron’s Visit to Russia.”
Reference
Mainville, Michael, and Dmitry Zaks. “Russia Says Pulling Back Some Forces from Ukraine Border.” The Moscow Times, 15 Feb. 2022, www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/02/15/russia-says-pulling-back-some-forces-from-ukraine-border-a76388. Accessed 15 Feb. 2022.
Nasif, Alan. “A Game of Signals: Germany at the Fore, but Europe at the Center.” Intelligence Scoop – A Blog Addressing Politics, Sociology, and Philosophy, Economics, and Psychology, 15 Aug. 2021, www.intel-scoop.com/a-game-of-signals-germany-at-the-fore-but-europe-at-the-center/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2022.
Nasif, Alan. It Is Now Bound to a Single Act of Faith: Overcoming the 1999 Kosovo and the 2014 Ukraine Syndromes. LinkedIn Articles. 10 October 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alan-nasif-5a27687a_overcoming-the-1999-kosovo-and-the-2014-ukraine-activity-6720641763691810816-4QVg/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2022.
