“Europe is re-entering the global peace process”, estimated Tuesday February 8 on franceinfo the former ambassador of France in Russia (2009-2013) Jean de Gliniasty. According to him, a way out of the Ukrainian crisis is possible, in particular by “the path dug by the Europeans” who is the one “focused on the crisis in the Donbass”. “Today’s meeting in Berlin was a bit of a vigil before the meeting of advisers to presidents and heads of state on Thursday.”
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franceinfo: is a way out of the crisis possible?
Jean de Gliniasty: I think there are several paths, but there is one that has been dug by the Europeans within the Normandy format, it is the one that is centered on the crisis in the Donbass. This path, he progressed. In fact, today’s Berlin meeting was a bit of a vigil before Thursday’s meeting of advisers to presidents and heads of state. Emmanuel Macron spoke about it with Putin. He also said a word about it to Zelenski. In fact, what is happening is that Europe is re-entering the global peace process that was started by Putin and Biden last June in Geneva.
Has Europe regained control alone?
I wouldn’t say that because for the Russians, and they make no secret of it, the important negotiations are those they have with the United States on all strategic questions, and essentially on the European continent and NATO. But everyone knows that there will be no success in this negotiation if we do not settle the question of Ukraine, if only because one of the fundamental demands of the Russians is that does not extend to Ukraine. So we have to settle the Donbass issue, and that’s where Europe comes in.
It is still necessary that the Ukrainian president and the Russian president want to talk to each other… Is this possible?
They spoke to each other once or twice at first, when Zelensky came to power. Then, the position of the Ukrainian president hardened and finally, they no longer spoke to each other, except in December 2019, in Paris. So, if the meeting of advisers to heads of state and government on Thursday in Berlin marks progress, a meeting cannot be ruled out. The Russians have always said that to have a meeting, it would not only take an exchange of prisoners or yet another withdrawal of heavy weapons which was promised and which did not take place. They demand progress on the merits of the file, that is to say the special status for the Donbass.