Opinions are increasingly growing in European countries that the strategy of bypassing Russian President Vladimir Putin is not proving effective. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
British analyst Mark Galeotti paid special attention to this topic in an article published in The Spectator. According to Galeotti, French President Emmanuel Macron's view on the necessity of direct dialogue with Putin is logical.
Because completely denying or ignoring Russia is not yielding results for Europe. Such an approach is proving neither politically nor economically beneficial.
As the analyst emphasized, Putin is not particularly interested in meetings with individual heads of state. However, if European Union countries act together, they may attract Moscow's attention.
Moreover, the idea of seeing Putin only as a "bad person" and isolating him is gradually losing its relevance in Europe. Since Europe is negotiating with other complex states, refusing dialogue with Russia is being seen as hypocrisy.
The author also refers to the opinion of former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö. He stressed that European leaders should take the initiative themselves to prevent relations with Russia from being severed due to political changes occurring in the United States.
Current Finnish President Alexander Stubb supports that this initiative should be implemented only in a collective format. Galeotti particularly notes the importance of Europe having a unified position.
According to him, the "E3" cooperation consisting of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany can play a decisive role in initiating political dialogue with Russia. These negotiations may not yield immediate results but will lay an important foundation for restoring long-term relations.
At the end of the article, the author quotes a diplomat's opinion: Russia will not disappear anywhere, so Europe must not only resolve the war but also create a solid foundation for peace. Although Putin is currently ignoring the positions of European countries, this situation may not last forever.
