France's Hollande Meets Putin at Moscow Airport

by John M. Curtis
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Copyright December 7, 2014
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            Returning from a trip to Kazakhstan, French President Francois Hollande met Russian President Vladimir Putin at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, only two days after Putin blasted the West for trying to shackle Russian with a new Iron Curtain.  Faced with the prospects of recession in 2015 more related to falling oil prices than U.S. and European Union sanctions, Putin preached to the Kremlin choir, blaming the West for Russia’s economic woes.  Hollande was especially puzzled by Putin’s unfriendly comments about the West in light of his March 1 invasion of Crimea and ongoing support of pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk.  Hollande hoped Ukraine and the separatists could restore the 12-point Sept. 5 Minsk Protocol attempting to implement a permanent ceasefire.  U.S. and EU have accused Putin of stirring the pot in Ukraine, lending military support to pro-Russian separatists.

             Whatever happens in Ukraine, Hollande has bigger concerns about Russia’s continued isolation and aggressive stance taken, intimidating former Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus Mountain region where Moscow continues to put a heavy footprint.  “The ceasefire that will be proclaimed tomorrow or the day after must be completely respected,” Hollande told Putin, expecting Putin to withdraw military backing to pro-Russian separatists.  Under pressure from the U.S. and EU, Hollande was forced to suspend delivery to Moscow of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers, slated for delivery immediate delivery.  Given Russia’s dominance in the Black Sea, delivering the ships would compromise NATO’s already shaky presence.  Talking directly to Putin, Hollande wanted to see just how far gone Putin was from reality, blaming the West for threatening Russia interests.

             Bringing up the Minsk Protocol, Hollande hoped Putin would honor the agreement, especially because it doesn’t insist Russia give back Crimea to Ukraine.  Ukraine’s 49-year-old President Petro Poroshenko and his 40-year-old Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk insist Putin give back Crimea.  Hollande hoped to impress on Putin that he must do more to secure the Minsk true.  Most Western officials believe Putin could call back his unmarked forces from Donetsk and Luhansk at any time, essentially ending the conflict.  “France’s role is to search for solutions and prevent problems from degenerating,” said Hollande, hoping Putin would take the olive branch and change Moscow’s direction in Ukraine.  Hollande expressed concern over Putin’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric, blaming the U.S. and EU for putting Russia behind a new Iron Curtain.

             Problems in Ukraine got worse when pro-Western protesters ousted Russian-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich Feb. 22, while Putin hosted the Sochi Winter Olympics.  One week after the games ended, Putin seized Crimea, contributing to the current impasse that has watched capital investment abandon Russia, causing a 40% drop in the ruble and stock market.  “I wanted today, alongside President Putin, to send a message of de-escalation.  Today that message is possible,” said Hollande, hoping for a permanent ceasefire.  Putin’s expressed a desire to see a more permanent ceasefire before but sees the Luhansk and Donetsk region as strategic buffer against U.S. and EU encroachment.  Putin took similar action in 2008, seizing Russian-populated South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia, both areas Putin sees as essential buffers against Western intrusion in the region.

             Hollande reached out to Putin to back the Minsk Protocol and help secure a permanent ceasefire in Ukraine.  “I very much hope that in the nearest future a final decision on ceasing fire will be taken,” Putin told the press, not specifically backing the Minsk Protocol.  Judging by Putin’s public remarks, he’s not inclined toward any agreements with the West.  Watching the Russian economy deteriorate, Kremlin officials can’t be too happy with Putin alienating the West, showing little interest in developing better bilateral ties.  Putin’s gone so far as to blame the U.S. for manipulating world oil prices to harm Russia’s economy.  Putin knows that world oil markets aren’t controlled by any one country, certainly not the U.S.  If there’s no change with Russia’s meddling in Ukraine, Putin can expect more economic sanctions, causing further damage to the Russian economy.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.