The second front is not open

Either the information turned out to be false, or the passions of Vladimir Putin's arrival subsided, but there was no obstruction in France. And even Angela Merkel, who, according to Bild, did not want to meet, but also sit next to the President of Russia, and sat down, and met. Gathering before in Brussels as part of the Seven, the Western leaders postponed the question of new sanctions against Russia and stored a threat in case of a possible escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.

The meeting of Putin and Obama was not planned, but they exchanged in absentia messages to Normandy. The US President made a program speech about the graduation ceremony at the West Point Military Academy and extremely disappointed with its supporters and opponents.

An alarming sensation arose even when Barack Obama said that Putin was pursuing the policy of the last century, which, they say, had long sunk into oblivion. The Doams of Obama proceeds from a beautiful -minded idea that all leaders act rationally and in the interests of their peoples and that in the XXI century there is no place for war, armed confrontation, hostile coalitions. In this spirit, his speech was also sustained.

He expressed disagreement with both isolationists (he called them “homegrown realists”) and with supporters of intervention: the military solution to international problems should be the last of the available ones, and only in the event of a threat to the “main interests” of the United States. America is not inferior to anyone in global leadership, the president said, its economy "remains the most dynamic on earth," and its armed forces "have no equal." “America rarely has been stronger in relation to the rest of the world than now,” the president said confidently.

As an example of America’s ability to create and lead the coalitions, Obama referred to the consolidated position of the West regarding Russia's actions:

The latest events in Ukraine recall the days when Soviet tanks went through Eastern Europe. But now is not the times of the Cold War. Our ability to form public opinion helped us immediately isolate Russia. Thanks to American leadership, the world instantly condemned Russian actions. Europe and the countries "seven" jointly imposed sanctions. NATO confirmed our obligations to the Eastern European allies, the IMF helps to stabilize the Ukrainian economy, and OSCE observers attracted the world's attention to the instability of the parts of Ukraine. And this mobilization of world public opinion and international institutions served as a counterweight to Russian propaganda, Russian troops on the border and armed militias in ski masks.

It was not possible to praise the speech by the Washington Post, nor The New York Times. The latter, in particular, in the editorial article noted that the president lacks a “strategic vision” and that this speech is unlikely to convince his critics both on the left and on the right.

First of all, the president’s assertion that the US Armed Forces are now stronger than ever (or almost never) before. During the stay of Barack Obama as president, these forces were significantly weakened. The military presence of America in the world has declined everywhere. The Pentagon budget is cut from year to year, and very significantly. The number of personnel decreases, combat effectiveness falls. Ground forces are now the same in number as they were before the Second World War. The naval-the same as before the First World War. And the air forces have never been so small. It is not surprising that the Commander-in-Chief met in the West Point " Ice Reception ".

Naturally, the administration’s largest mistake “rebooting” should be recognized: she not only gave Putin carte blanche for lawlessness within the country, but also disoriented the US allies. On the other hand, the rhetoric of the "red lines" does not convince anyone else. As for the ability to mobilize its allies to repulse Russia, it also has its limits, as the Brussels meeting of the Seven showed.

President Putin, in turn, presented his picture of the world before a trip to Normandy, aimed primarily at the further split of the coalition. In an interview with French television, he convinced the interlocutors of the enduring aggressiveness of America:

As for the policy of the United States themselves, it is no secret that the most aggressive, most stringent policy in defending their own interests (as the American leaders understand this), pursue the United States, and from year to year. There are practically no Russian troops abroad, Russian, American troops are everywhere abroad, everywhere around the world American military bases, and everywhere they take part in the decision of the fate of other peoples, being thousands of kilometers from their own border.

According to the President of Russia, it is American foreign policy that is an anachronism and the world order is high as it is time to rebuild. This is what Russian diplomacy and propaganda, directed outside. In Europe, the Putin ideology of "traditional values" clearly finds a sympathetic response. The voters who voted in the elections A of the European Parliament for the right -wing parties are Putin’s electorate, disappointed with his own governments.

Commenting recently the actions of the President of Russia, the former Director of the CIA and former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that Putin was “playing a long game” - he has time until 2024. He is patient, careful, knows how to apply to the circumstances when necessary - to retreat ...

"Long game." This is the name of the 7th series of the 1st season of the series "Doctor Who". This is about the empire, led by a giant toothy slug, ruling with the help of lies, which is introduced into the brain of journalists using implanted chips.