Opportunity for Russia to establish broader cooperation with the EU

“The meeting between Putin and Macron indicates a change in Russian diplomacy, as Trump is a different type of President that may treat Russia differently," said former Kremlin advisor Alexander Nekrassov during an interview for 'The Point with Liu Xin' broadcast on CGTN. "Coming after G7, the meeting has more significance as it signals to Trump that Russia has other countries to talk to, other than the US. However, we cannot expect too much out of this meeting as Macron will continue to be tough on Syria and Ukraine, and on the sanctions towards Russia.”

Agreeing with Nekrassov, Professor Joav Toker from the American Graduate School of Diplomacy, said that the role of freshness, gestures and images are also important in modern diplomacy. Surface elements may seem superficial, but it’s important to have these kinds of gestures when addressing difficult issues between the two sides.

Among the wide-ranging issues on the agenda, the two leaders will also talk business. Nekrassov said that although there is barely any common ground on the political front, they will instead focus on trade and economy just as the UK and Russia did.

As there are positive signals that more exchanges can be expected between France and Russia, the window of opportunity for Russia to conduct broader cooperation with the EU is also likely. “The times in which we could completely depend on others are, to a certain extent, over...the EU must now be prepared to take its fate into its own hands”, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel duing an election rally in Munich on Sunday.

Host Liu Xin finished by saying that similar ideologies were not a guarantee of good ties. Likewise, a different ideology doesn’t have to be an obstacle either. It’s unclear what Trump’s foreign policy towards Russia and its allies in Europe will look like. Whether Putin takes advantage of the opportunity and embraces a better future with Europe remains to be seen.

(CGTN)