Ukraine conflict: can it be defused?
Despite intensive diplomatic efforts, the crisis in the Russian-Ukrainian border region continues. Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is now making new attempts to defuse the situation with meetings in Kyiv and Moscow. Europe's press makes suggestions and laments the EU's irrelevance.
A discreet deal is the solution
The Tages-Anzeiger points to a historical example:
“Washington and Moscow defused the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 with a partly secret barter deal. The Soviets withdrew their nuclear weapons from Cuba while John F. Kennedy declared that he would not undertake any further military invasion against the island state. ... Transferred to Ukraine, this would mean that Putin foregoes an invasion, recognises Ukraine's sovereignty and sends the Russian soldiers on the border home for a well-deserved holiday. In return, the US could cut back on arms deliveries to Kiev and reduce the number of troop exercises. Furthermore - informally and only verbally - Biden could assure Putin that Ukraine will not be admitted to Nato.”
Kyiv must take advantage of the situation
The chances that Ukraine will join Nato are increasing, journalist Yuri Butussov speculates in 24tv.ua:
“If Putin dares to attack, our war will become the main topic in international media and then the heroic deeds and sacrifices of the Ukrainian people will force public opinion in Europe to push governments to accelerate the political process and allow Ukraine to join Nato much sooner. ... Ukraine must use this situation to put massive pressure on Nato governments to increase their military support and lift restrictions on arms deliveries.”
EU at the children's table
Diário de Notícias laments that the EU is not a full negotiating partner:
“We should not expect the EU to become now what it is not yet and we cannot be sure it will ever be: an organisation with the capacity, the will and the means to contribute to the economic, political and military governance of Europe and the world, which would change its predominantly civilian character and give Brussels a role in areas of sovereignty previously reserved for member states. For now, we know that at a moment when the fate of Europe's eastern border is at stake, the EU has been sent to the children's table, out of the room where the adults make the decisions.”