A Majestic Idea Hangs In The Balance. It Is The Idea Of What Peace Means to Europe.

On Friday, the so-called Normandy Group (Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine) meets to discuss implementation of the Minsk II agreement to end hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

A majestic idea hangs in the balance.  It is the idea of what peace means to Europe.

Russia has already taken Crimea, the territory of a sovereign Ukraine, and it is continuing its invasion of eastern Ukraine.  It pursues the subversion of other countries, including the leading European countries through support for extremist political parties on the right and left, and support for civil conflicts elsewhere, as in Syria, that drain Europe’s attention and energy.

Putin believes he is at war.  This gives him the advantage over his European contemporaries, because he believes he is fighting for something.  To Putin this is World War 2.1.  He is wrong, of course.  Russia is not at risk from European aggression.  Russia’s problem is that it is corroding from within.  It needs political, social and economic reform.

The Europeans however lack the conviction that they must fight to preserve the values that define their way of life, even though these are under direct attack.

In Friday’s discussion, Europe should avoid the temptation to acquiesce to what Russia has already done to Ukraine or to compromise further.  Russia is weak not strong.  Russia cannot sustain its aggression in Ukraine and in Syria unless Europe facilitates it by failing to confront Putin.  Relative calm in Ukraine is not a glimmer of hope but a negotiating ploy by Putin to deflect Europe’s focus by instilling the false hope that there is an easy way out of the Ukrainian crisis.  Calm in Ukraine is the carrot to the Syria stick, but Ukraine and Syria are the two faces of Putin’s aggression.  Europe marching backwards won’t halt Putin’s advance.

So, now is your moment.  Either in blindness give back to Russia what it took as the Soviet Union and then lost, or, defend the peace that was won on the basis of equity and dignity among nations and respect for open and free civil societies.  Now is your moment.