There is a full-blown row in Europe over relations with Moscow and, incredibly, this time it is Støre and Alexander Stubb who are bearing the brunt for speaking to Putin. Mette Frederiksen was the most outspoken, saying the two had acted on their own. The mood turned sour.
But it all began with Steve Witkoff’s visit, first to Oslo and then to St Petersburg. On his way out of Russia, the American pensioner James Hubbard was released by Putin. This prompted Witkoff to offer some words of praise for Putin, which were taken badly in Western Europe by those who wish to continue the war to the bitter end. Witkoff offered a polite remark, but it was interpreted as obsequious praise. Such is the climate now.
Trump has made a number of gestures towards Moscow. The most significant is the diesel agreement, as it points the way forward. But the war faction in the EU is opposed.
All of this is a telling example of what the Trump administration has gained from a series of concessions to Vladimir Putin: next to nothing.
This is the analysis of Nico Lange, a former chief of staff at the German Ministry of Defence and one of the country’s leading analysts on the war.
“It shows exactly how Putin is actively exploiting Trump’s fantasies,” he says in an interview with Berlingske.
The negotiations were actually – according to the plan – due to resume in September. The Russians managed to turn even this step into a dearly bought bargaining chip.
The same applies to the release of the American pensioner, whom, according to the US, the Russians abducted during the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Nothing new there.
What is new is that Europeans are beginning to have had enough of watching Witkoff and Putin, continues the former senior civil servant, who is familiar with discussions at European level.
“We cannot just sit and watch. There is no hope that Witkoff will act in our interests,” says Nico Lange:
“A new discussion is now taking place behind closed doors about how Russia should be punished for what it is doing. How to strike back.”
The incredible thing is that Støre and Stubb have broken ranks with the ‘war party’ and phoned Putin. The call was scheduled to last 20 minutes, but went on for an hour and a half. Most of the time was spent discussing Russian medieval history, according to sources speaking to the Financial Times.
The anger and frustration of Mette Frederiksen and several others show just how frustrated they are. Ukraine cannot survive another winter. The EU cannot survive another winter. But the war faction does not see it that way.
A rift may have emerged within the EU, with Finland and Norway – two hawks in the war – now standing amongst the doves.
This is unusual.
