IOANA LUPEA: „George W. Bush might have the last opportunity to look into Vladimir Putin’s soul with the eyes of an American president, on the Black Sea coast”.
That’s if the future Russian Prime Minister will show up to the meeting. In that case, Bush might recall Hillary Clinton’s observation, that „an ex-KGB member has no soul” and see that Angela Merkel’s conclusion after meeting Medvedev and Putin, that controversies with Russia will continue”.
Seven years ago, George W. Bush said poetically and optimistic that he caught a glimpse on Vladimir Putins soul, a man who is deeply loial to his country. Then, the United States could still afford to speak of the new Russian leader with a supperior tone. Before the Praga big-bang, the Americans used to tell Romanians that there’s nothing to worry about whenever we got worried about Russia’s actions.
Just six years later, Russia is once again a force to be reconed within the international politics. Vladimir Putin is no longer the local patriot as seen by George W. Bush, but a true Cold Warrior, as seen by some international analysts.
In order to ensure the succes of the coming NATO Summit in Bucharest, George W. Bush must use his empathy and his entire soul exploring experience on Vladimir Putin, because the Summit’s agenda also depends on Russia.
NATO needs Russia in Afganistan and in the Balcans, or else the missile shield programm will be just a strategy board game for the American generals and this is obvious, even for the most optimistic leaders in Washington DC. Both the spreading western influence toward Ukraine and Georgia and the energetic security needed by Europe depends on the Kremlin administration.
Russia can no longer and no longer wishes to be ignored. The message that the Kremlin sends to the NATO Summit was transmitted by ambassador Dmitri Rogozin in an interview for „Der Spiegel’.
„Any attempt to force Georgia’s integration in euro-atlantic structures is a challenge and might lead to blood shed”. „The Western Ukraine will enter NATO. The Eastern side of Ukraine will ask for independence or become a de facto state, like Abhazia”. ”We proposed a common missile defence system. If our sollution will be rejected, we will be oblidged to aim our missiles toward Polland and the Czech Republic”.
If Vladimir Putin won’t refuse NATO’s invitation, an open dispute speach is expected form him. A speach that has amazed and worried western leaders in Munich. During the security Conference, Putin has violently accused the United States that they try to create a unipolar world, lead by a single master. The Munich precedent and Dmitri Rogozins threats suggest that Russia will surely attempt to dominate the NATO Summit in Bucharest.