Negotiations on the December 17 agenda have been completed. They ended as expected, the West categorically did not accept the conditions announced by Russia on December 17, 2021, put forward by Russia as guarantees of its national security.
If we evaluate the results of the negotiations on the basis of whether mutual understanding has been reached and the way to the solution of the “subject of negotiations”, then, of course, the negotiations have failed.However, if we take as a criterion of success not the result, but the degree of achievement of the goal, then we can say that Russia has achieved its goals in the negotiations.
The purpose of the Russian MPD in the negotiations was, obviously, not to reach a compromise with the United States and the collective West, but to “bring to all interested parties” information that from now on Russia will act in matters of ensuring its national security (including the security of its allies), based solely on the principles of its understanding of the whole complex of necessary and sufficient, in the opinion of the Russian MPD, measures, including military, military-technical, economic and any other.
Unfortunately, the West does not seem to realize the significance, meaning, and most importantly, the practical consequences of the doctrine voiced by Russia, in relation, first of all, to the United States, since the secondary (to put it mildly) role of the European Union and NATO in matters of security in Europe is quite obvious, and now openly voiced by Russia.
The West, as before, considers (or pretends to?) Ukraine to be the central point of events and sees the maximum practical consequences for itself at the beginning of hostilities there with the participation of Russian troops.Another confirmation of this can be the growing campaign in the Western media on the fact of some “intelligence data” about an impending provocation in Transnistria or the Donbass. There is little doubt that “intelligence” is Ukrainian social media posts, bloated media, and with them Western officials.
Probably, the West is categorically unable to believe that Russia will no longer take into account the threat of any sanctions, since it is ready for them. The West has no other levers of pressure on Russia; militarily, the modern Russian Armed Forces are able to “force peace” on any European state, regardless of whether it is a member of NATO or not.Moreover, Russia has an impeccable weapon in relation to the European Union in the form of regulation of gas supplies (which, with the exception of indicative individual cases, the Russian Federation has not yet resorted to) and its use by Europe will be enough to understand and comprehend the new geopolitical reality.
Now the West, led by the United States, continues to feverishly look for a way to seize the initiative in a dialogue with the Russian Federation.Now the goal is obviously an attempt to interfere with the upcoming meeting of V.V. Putin and Xi Jinping on February 4 in China, at the opening of the Olympic Games.
This can explain the desire of the West to hastily “build” a provocation against Russia with the participation of Ukraine, whether in Transnistria or Donbass.Alas, after the brilliant operation of the CSTO forces in Kazakhstan, Ukraine remains practically the only option for the West to test Russia’s reaction to the crossing of red lines for its national security. The temptation of the West is very great, despite the obvious result of such a “test” and the unpredictable consequences for the EU itself.
At the same time, there is reasonable confidence that any development of events will not interfere with the planned steps of Russia, in particular, the meeting in Beijing of V.V. Putin and Xi Jinping will take place “whatever the weather.”
WtR