 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER VLADIMIR PUTIN VISITS FRANCE
ALEKSANDR RAHR,
Director of Russia, Ukraine/CIS programs, German Council on Foreign Policy, Coordinator of the EU-Russia Forum (in cooperation with the European Commission), Germany
Vladimir Putin’s visit to France is quite unique. In a week new Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev is to arrive in France and Germany. It looks like Prime Minister Putin overshadows President Medvedev. During his visit to Paris Vladimir Putin shows the world leaders that he is in charge of the Russian foreign policy.
Since this July France will hold the EU presidency. This is of great importance to Russia in terms of the working out a new document or the extending of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which will determine the relations between Russia and the EU for the next 10-20 years. It is the Russian President who should be engaged in this work. This would allow him to follow the new policy towards the EU.
But Vladimir Putin goes to Europe and meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy. This is unique. The French Prime Minister is a nominal figure at the negotiations. This indicates that the Russian politics remains without change. It seems Vladimir Putin, not Dmitry Medvedev, will be in charge of the foreign policy.
It is no secret that the European mass media dislike Vladimir Putin. So, under the new President Russia’s policy may be criticized as before. But in other respects the European policy-makers and businessmen heaved a sigh of relief. They know who they should interact with.
In a week Dmitry Medvedev will visit Germany. Then it will be clear to the European politicians how independently Medvedev follows the foreign policy.
May 30, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other materials on this topic
Hot topics
Digest
|
09.10.2007
|
|
RFE/RL: FRANCE'S SARKOZY TAKES CRITICAL STAND ON FIRST TRIP TO MOSCOW
|
|
Far from offering the warm embrace shown Moscow by his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, the 52-year-old Sarkozy has been nothing short of blunt in expressing his views on Russia.
|
|
08.05.2007
|
|
RFE/RL: FRANCE. SARKOZY WIN LEAVES FOREIGN POLICY UNCLEAR
|
|
Much was made during the French election that proves Nicolas Sarkozy to be an outspoken admirer of the United States. But most of his foreign policy intentions remain largely unknown.
|
|
Expert forum
|
VLADIMIR PUTIN'S FOREIGN POLICY LEGACY. INTERNATIONAL AGENDA FOR DMITRY MEDVEDEV
|
|
ANDREY KOKOSHIN, FIRST DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE DUMA COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND HIGH TECHNOLOGIES; FYODOR LUKYANOV, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF "RUSSIA IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS" MAGAZINE
|
16.04.2008
|
|
"The change consists in the fact that Russia can no longer influence the domestic policy of its neighbors. When that became clear Russia chose the pragmatic approach," Fyodor Lukyanov.
|
|
DMITRY MEDVEDEV: RUSSIA'S NEW KENNEDY?
|
|
MARIA BOTCHKOVA, DMITRY UDALOV
|
28.02.2008
|
|
While the whole world is watching the development of the American presidential race, the Russian president elections seem to be simple: the Kremlin’s candidate Dmitry Medvedev is supposed to win it.
|
|
FRENCH-RUSSIAN RELATIONS
|
|
ALEKSANDR RAHR
|
12.10.2007
|
|
The economic interests prompt Nicolas Sarkozy to get to the Russian market. The French big business and, first and foremost, state corporations urge the President to do so.
|
|
RESULTS OF THE RUSSIA – EU SUMMIT
|
|
ALEKSANDR RAHR
|
22.05.2007
|
|
As to the influence of the new French President upon the EU policy towards Russia, from now on Russia will have to consider the EU's opinion.
|
Analysis
|
Opinion
|
EMBARRASSMENT IN THE KREMLIN
|
| Boris Kagarlitsky |
03.06.2008
|
|
Despite the propaganda declarations that Russia has finally “risen from the knees” and “returned its status of a superpower”, the Kremlin’s foreign policy is still characterized by inconsistency and complete absence of strategic planning. True, there has been perceptible change since the 1990s – the Kremlin has become more independent in decision-making, the Russian elite are aware of the state interests.
|
|
Author’s opinion on other topics
THE U.S. IS SHORT OF MONEY TO PLACE ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IN EASTERN EUROPE
|
24 September 2009
|
|
Barack Obama sees the situation in proper perspective. Unlike his predecessor George Bush, Barack Obama understands that the U.S. cannot solve all the global and regional problems independently.
|
"WEST SHOULD ADMIT THAT RUSSIA HAS ITS OWN INTERESTS"
|
22 September 2008
|
|
The USA, where the presidential election campaign goes full swing, tries to take the toughest possible line with Russia. In many respects that is why some American government officials seek to support Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili.
|
RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN CONFLICT. EUROPE SUPPORTS THE U.S. POSITION
|
20 August 2008
|
|
Yesterday I could say that in Europe there were differences in relation to Russia’s actions in South Ossetia. Some countries blamed Georgia for the conflict, others blamed Russia. But at present there is a different tendency.
|
CIS INFORMAL SUMMIT
|
26 February 2008
|
|
All the CIS leaders arrived in Moscow on Friday to participate in the informal summit. This indicates their respect for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin who steps down in spring. Unlike ex-President Boris Yeltsin, Putin did his best to create the working atmosphere within the CIS. Much was done in the sphere of the economic integration.
|
FRENCH-RUSSIAN RELATIONS
|
12 October 2007
|
|
The economic interests prompt Nicolas Sarkozy to get to the Russian market. The French big business and, first and foremost, state corporations urge the President to do so.
|
GEORGE BUSH AND VLADIMIR PUTIN IN KENNEBUNKPORT: RESULTS OF THE INFORMAL MEETING
|
03 July 2007
|
|
The meeting could have made the breakthrough if the USA had backed the idea of creation of the joint anti-missile defense in Azerbaijan. However, few people reckoned on that. Vladimir Putin made public this idea at the G8 Summit, and George Bush neither rejected nor supported it.
|
G8 SUMMIT IN HEILEGENDAMM
|
07 June 2007
|
|
At the Summit the world leaders create the stabilizing atmosphere showing that they have many interests in common. So, neither George Bush nor Vladimir Putin are expected to make strongly-worded statements.
|
RESULTS OF THE RUSSIA – EU SUMMIT
|
22 May 2007
|
|
As to the influence of the new French President upon the EU policy towards Russia, from now on Russia will have to consider the EU's opinion.
|
DO RUSSIA AND THE WEST FACE A NEW COLD WAR?
|
19 March 2007
|
|
I believe that there will be no Cold War between Russia and the West. Though there are many misunderstandings connected with the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech in Munich.
|
ON ANGELA MERKEL’S VISIT TO RUSSIA
|
19 January 2007
|
|
The German EU presidency will most likely give a chance to stabilize Russia-EU relations and establish strategic partnership.
|
A VISIT OF ANGELA MERKEL TO RUSSIA
|
26 April 2006
|
|
The fact that the city of Tomsk is visited by one of the most important and largest German delegations emphasizes significance for Germany to develop the relations with Russia.
|
A VISIT OF FEDERAL CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY ANGELA MERKEL TO RUSSIA
|
04 January 2006
|
|
I believe that Angela Merkel’s visit to Russia is of great importance. She will put her own mark on the relationship between Russia and Germany. On the one hand, Germany’s policy towards Russia is going to be changed. Under Merkel, Germany seeks to be the closest friend of the USA, as Great Britain is. Unlike France, Germany is not going to act as Russia’s main advocate in the EU.
|
|
|
|
|
