Even Gorbachev is against the current policies of the West and supports Putin - Die Welt
Berlin – Kiev, November 11 (PolitNavigator, Vasily Ablyazimov) – Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev sharply criticized the West for its policy toward Russia and warned of a Cold War, writes the German newspaper Die Welt.
Subscribe to PolitNavigator-Kiev news on Facebook , Odnoklassniki , or VKontakte.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the hope was that Europe would set a new example of conflict resolution that would spread throughout the world and would be based on mutual trust. Mikhail Gorbachev said this on Saturday at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in Berlin.
However, history took a different path. Europe and international politics failed the renewal test. “The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some say that it has already begun,” Gorbachev said. In recent months, the “break in trust” has occurred completely.
The promises of 1989 are forgotten
The West, especially the United States, has not fulfilled its 1989 commitments. Instead, they declared themselves the victors of the Cold War. Politicians in the West took the lead in the euphoria and triumph. They exploited Russia's weakness and seized a monopoly on leadership in the world.
Already in the 90s, the West began to undermine trust in relations with Russia. But it was precisely these relations that ensured a peaceful revolution in Germany and, possibly, in Central and Eastern Europe. “The expansion of NATO, Yugoslavia, in particular Kosovo, missile defense, Iraq, Libya, Syria? – Gorbachev named as examples. – Who suffers most from this? Europe, our common home."
“The events of recent months are the consequence of a short-sighted policy that aims to present others with a fait accompli and ignore the interests of the partner,” said the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who is rightfully considered one of the fathers of German unity.
Understanding Putin's policies
Speaking about the Ukrainian crisis, he supported the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he had previously often criticized. In his latest statements, according to Gorbachev, Putin sought to defuse tensions and, despite harsh criticism from the West and the United States, created a new basis for partnership.
Gorbachev called for the gradual lifting of sanctions that were harming both sides. It is especially necessary to stop the practice of fines imposed on politicians by both sides, Gorbachev believes.
Of course, all this had a negative impact on German-Russian relations. If the current course continues further, it may lead to an irreversible deterioration in cooperation. Without a partnership between Germany and Russia, there can be no talk of security in Europe, Gorbachev warned, and yet “it was he who laid the foundations for the policy of openness that formed the basis for the unification of Germany,” writes the German Die Welt.
English version :: Read in English Even Gorbachev is against the current Western policy and supports Putin, – Die Welt