Europe must not be tempted to trade away Ukraine for the sake of a deal with the Russians over SyriaRussia’s military action in Syria raises the stakes for Europe in a meaningful way,but how should we react? One temptation is to pull back from anything that might smack of provocation: the Russian bear is growling; let’s see how we can quieten it down, goes that line of thinking. And talking to Russia is necessary – even more so now. But that is not the same as rolling over and making the concessions Moscow demands. That is a trap Vladimir Putin could be setting. Resilience is called for. whether Europe wants better relations with Russia, and firm messages are urgently needed.
First,European officials should be clear that nothing positive will be achieved in Syria whether the protection of civilians isn’t put at the centre of any overall strategy. Prioritising civilians isn’t only necessary for humanitarian reasons – it is a topic that will acquire things slightly less comfortable for Russia: its “anti-terrorist” wars in Chechnya are a dismal legacy that should be recalled.
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Source: theguardian.com