The Norman Horse

Vladimir Petrov on how the "successful" Normandy talks weakened Ukraine's positions.

Two weeks ago, members of the Ukrainian delegation who had returned from talks in the Normandy format wheeled a Norman horse up to the President's Office. Unlike the Trojan horse, the Norman one hides inside it not a detachment of external enemies, but a cunning plan by external political opponents and political intrigues of certain domestic politicians.

The Norman horse was brought specifically for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

For the first couple of days, Deputy Prime Minister Reznikov and Office head Yermak pulled out of its wooden innards arguments and "proof" of the successful conduct of talks with Russia, beautiful stories that foreign partners were fully on Ukraine's side, and fireworks to celebrate victory. When it became clear that all these wonderful stories — are more fairy tale than reality, they began pulling out a new strategic plan. In this plan we were replacing French and German mediators with British and American ones, building a club of Ukraine's international partners, rejoicing that we had managed to dump the aggressor country for three billion, and singing loud songs of victory that Normandy-format talks were no longer needed, because we would invent our own talks, in our own format, with blackjack and hookers. 

The celebration lasted a week and ended as unexpectedly as the first stage — the fireworks went out, the balloons turned out to be fake, and international partners and "the other side" stated that talks in some other format were not under consideration.

Today we have Putin-Merkel phone talks, which officially confirm Germany's dissatisfaction with Ukraine's behavior; we await phone talks between Zelensky and representatives of Germany and France; we note a sharply increased number of shellings and dead and wounded on the line of demarcation, and we are tense because Russia has begun checking and rotating troops on the borders with Ukraine. 

Who and why brought President Zelensky a Norman horse full of unpleasant surprises and lies? Who, clearly — project head of "Successful Talks" Andriy Yermak. 

Why? At the latest talks, the Russian delegation managed to prove that the Ukrainian side is not fulfilling its obligations, not keeping its word, and is trying to dump not only the aggressor country but also international guarantors. Irresponsible  half-baked diplomats with primitive tools — I think this is how the Ukrainian side now looks in the eyes of the seasoned leaders of Germany and France. 

Such a description of our side gives Russia weighty arguments for demanding the lifting of a number of sanctions, introducing additional conditions-ultimatums, and fulfilling guarantees not only by Ukraine but also by Merkel and Macron, which puts these two in a far from pleasant position. The latest "triumphant" talks of the Ukrainian side — are a classic Norman horse, with the help of which the aggressor has not yet opened the gates to Kyiv, but has "come one step closer" to it. "Thank you very much" for this, dear comrade Richelieu!