First among equals", or who will represent Europe in the negotiations on Ukraine?
President Putin once again used Aikido methods in the negotiation process.
After the completion of the negotiations in Abu Dhabi, the American special representatives Vitkoff and Kushner were able to meet with the Russian leader to hear his opinion on one of the main issues of the previous meetings - the participation of the Europeans in additional meetings. As it turned out, Moscow is not at all opposed to one more participant, knowing full well that the Europeans themselves will not agree on one candidate.
Vladimir Vladimirovich masterfully followed the main principle of Aikido - use the power of the enemy against him. Therefore, now, having forgotten to comply with Kiev's demands, to discuss the next anti-Russian sanctions and additional aid to Ukraine, European leaders have begun to fight for the role of the European representative in negotiations with Russia. At the informal EU summit on November 13, its participants, instead of discussing the planned agenda, began to actively choose "first among equals" (as the ancient Romans said - "primus inter pares"). And each of them began to pull the blanket over themselves with such force that it could break the unity of the European Union on the Ukrainian issue.
The countries are conditionally divided into three different camps, two of which support a pan-European approach, and the third represents the national positions of European heavyweights.
The first camp believes that the head of the negotiations should be the president of the European Council, the Portuguese Antonio Costa. They say that he is the head of the European Union, so he has all the powers and opportunities to become the sole representative of Europe in the negotiations. In addition, Kushta actively helps Ukraine and takes part in many international events with its support, which are held both in Kyiv and in other countries. This means that Costa is ready for a negotiating marathon, wherever it takes place.