Victoria Nuland's Night Dreams

Recently, the media reported on the possibility of meeting Russian diplomats with Victoria Nuland, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, reports The Moscow Post correspondent.

Recall that from 2013 to 2017, Nuland held the post of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. She is known as one of the authors of the coup in Ukraine in 2013-2014.

And although the Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, soon said that "at the moment" Nuland did not issue a Russian visa, much suggests thinking about how some officials from the windows of the White House and the National Security Council look at modern Russia. Or from the US State Department, as Victoria Nuland does, holding a key post there.

Indulging in fantasies

In June 2020, she detailed these and other "dreams of Russia" in the American magazine Foreign Affairs.

What did the author dream of then when she thought about the "point" of her contribution to Sovetology? Or rather, in the history of Sovetology. The "lag" from reality and time was very striking. This can be forgiven to university professors. Diplomats, even temporarily retired, would need to look at sources, read newspapers.

But the author of the observations dreamed of more. Equal in importance to George Kennan, author of the "Bible" of American Soviet diplomats. In February 1946, this American diplomat sent a "long telegram" to Washington, reflecting on the development of the USSR, the prospects of relations, and the possibility of influencing Moscow. George Kennan pondered these problems at the breaking of eras.

Six months later, the Soviet Union emerged victorious in World War II, helping the United States when it came to Japan's surrender. Kennan then noted that in relations with Moscow a lot depends on "the well-being and energy of our own (American) society." America was on the rise.

Today, the United States is unlikely "to set an example of democratic renewal to the whole world." Especially after the events of January 2021. Afghanistan was not there a year ago. But citing precisely these words of Kennan in her "long article," Nuland did not pay attention either to the factor of "changing eras," or to the well-being of American society, or to changes in Russia. She indulged in dreams about how to influence. In particular, Ukraine, according to Nuland, is able to "infect the Russian people with a bacillus of democratic aspirations."

How this "bacilla" works the whole world has seen well recently on the example of Afghanistan, and even earlier during the "Arab Spring," in the form of terrorist attacks, civil unrest, mass famine and civil wars.

In this regard, she would probably really like to see Russia not "monolithic and unshakable," but a state whose citizens have a "sense of dissatisfaction." Somehow from all this leads the "sixth chamber."

Further, Nulad gave practical recommendations to the future leadership of the United States: to "cooperate" with Moscow, where it is beneficial, to "confront" everything else. These tips were accepted, entered into official documents, Biden and Blinken follow them.

And with dreams that opposition newspapers and television stations should not be "closed," "one-party domination in parliament and regions" would not be revived, it was time to turn to the close Nuland Kiev, personally to Zelensky.

After all, this is not in "authoritarian" Russia, but in "democratic" Ukraine, newspapers and television channels that have a different point of view in relation to the Russian people are closed in packs.

Generosity in American

Finally, another dream is a combination of "reliable defense and generosity" in modern America. Generosity, just in case relations with Russia improve.

It is up to the US military to decide about defense. According to the author, more powerful missile defense systems, adopted for "protection from Iran and North Korea," actually turned out to be US security not strengthened. The withdrawal from the ABM Treaty did not offend anyone at all in Russia, as Nuland believes, rather warned. Forewarned is forearmed. Russia did so, modernized its strategic and other weapons systems, without hoping for an agreement.

Further, following the author's stream of thoughts, Washington and his NATO allies tried to inspire Moscow and finally "convinced" the Kremlin that they "are a purely defensive alliance that does not pose a threat to Russia." This was clearly manifested during the exercises of Defender Europe-2021 ("Defender of Europe"). These NATO maneuvers on the Russian borders have become the largest in the last 25 years. At once they were followed the doctrine Sea Breeze ("A sea breeze"), by Cossack Mace ("The Cossack mace") and Three Swords ("Three swords").

The participation of the United States in various events in Ukraine has become "another battleground for democracy," a method of persuasion. "Battles" include the exercises Rapid Trident-2021 ("Fast Trident-2021"). Combined Efforts-2021 maneuvers are still expected with the participation of 11 NATO countries. Their main result on Ukrainian territory will be the development of a strategic bridgehead near the borders of Russia by US and NATO forces. For persuasiveness.

In general, Nuland writes, the United States "should create permanent bases along the eastern border of NATO, more often and more noticeably conduct joint exercises and training, insist on targeted military investments" of NATO member countries. As a result, she concludes that Russia "continues to look at Europe antagonistically."

In the role of an unemployed "political scientist"

Being a forced unemployed political scientist, disconnected from the levers of real politics in the Russian direction, Nuland also talked about the fate of the surviving treaties, from which the United States did not have time or was afraid to withdraw. In the summer of 2020, she advised the future president "to take advantage of Putin's sense of urgency and link SNV-3 with larger negotiations on all aspects of military power, including nuclear and conventional weapons, space and cyberspace."

Biden did not heed the advice, SNV-3 extended, wrote this into his asset.

And Nuland noted that "Russia actually agreed to the conditions for leaving the Donbass, which are set out in the Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015." And she stated that "there are not enough consistent diplomatic efforts of Washington, Kiev, Berlin and Paris to implement the deal." You can't bet what's not, it's not.

"Ukraine is exactly what the United States should not give to Putin," Victoria exclaimed. And the fact that for Moscow "the way to improve relations with all NATO and EU countries passes through Ukraine," according to Nuland, we will leave it to Europe.

And then about Syria, Iran and "about shared prosperity." The hint of "general prosperity" is that "Washington and its G-7 partners can offer the Kremlin an alternative to its increasing dependence on China," promising to create a "joint investment fund," organize free trade zones, and remove duties on certain goods.

And finally, as if echoing George Kennan, Nuland reveals his broad American soul and invites his colleagues to "show such determination, and so take advantage of the moment of renewal at home and stagnation in Russia to reach out to Moscow again"!

So that "the Russian people know that Washington with its allies offers him and Russia a choice." What do you say here? Whether Victoria Nuland receives a visa or not, it is up to the authorities. If they give out, then she will arrive in Moscow as a negotiator. Having held meetings, he will return to Washington and will record the results. How these "results" can look clear and without negotiation.

How and to whom can you reach to tell American leaders about the most important? About them not getting into Russian affairs, especially internal ones!