The Brief – The danger of normalising Russia

An increasing number of European diplomats – not only those from the hawkish East – are growing increasingly uneasy about the idea of ‘normalising’ dialogue with the Russians in international forums.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s bullish presence at the annual UN gathering in New York went nearly unnoticed by most participants.

As the highest Russian representative at the forum, he and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy both spoke at the same session but, whether by coincidence or design, were never in the same room.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has exposed an overdue need for a radical reassessment of the UN and its Security Council – two organisations that have proven unable to fulfil their promise to ensure global peace – while other bodies remain in deadlock over Russian diplomats sitting at the table.

For example, Moscow has long taken advantage of its ability to freeze decision-making in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a pan-European human rights and security watchdog.

A critical forum that has allowed the United States and Russia to engage, the OSCE has in recent years been increasingly paralysed when it came to reaching decisions.

Only an eleventh-hour deal has prevented the ministerial of the 57-member body set for later this week in North Macedonia from ending up in complete failure, with Malta potentially taking over the organisation’s rotating chairmanship after Russia barred NATO-member Estonia from the task.

Beyond institutional decisions, European diplomats have long wondered how to address the dynamic with Russia inside the organisation. Few answers have been found so far.

In private, over the past few months, some European diplomats have voiced unease over an increasing tendency to allow Russia to sit at the table and propagate its reasoning for its aggression against Ukraine.

A considerable number of ministers, according to the same diplomats, had voiced problems with Lavrov’s attendance in Skopje later this week, which is now likely to happen.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, on Tuesday (28 November), took a public stance by saying they would boycott the OSCE ministerial should Lavrov show up.

The unease about the creeping – but seemingly almost inevitable – diplomatic rehabilitation might soon raise an interesting question: Where do you draw the lines?

One example that comes to mind is Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, who, after more than a decade of isolation, has been welcomed back into the Arab League.

Syria’s acceptance signals a new Middle Eastern order. Will Moscow be allowed to follow a similar trajectory on the global scene, at what pace, and on what conditions? For now, there are no answers.

The Roundup

NATO and Ukraine are expected to sign off Kyiv’s reform to-do list for future NATO accession on Wednesday, despite divisions over the process and reluctance from the US and Germany.

Amid worries over institutional deadlock, the 57-member Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) agreed that Malta should take over the organisation’s rotating chairmanship after Russia barred Estonia from the task. But the meeting is likely to be derailed as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as well as Ukraine said they will boycott if Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is allowed to attend.

The European Commission unveiled an action plan on Tuesday to accelerate the roll-out of electricity grids and remove bottlenecks hampering the deployment of renewable energies at the local level.

Spain is ready to sign a deal on the post-Brexit status of Gibraltar as early as Wednesday, Spanish Foreign Minister José  Manuel Albares said, before setting off to meet newly appointed British Foreign Minister David Cameron in Brussels.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was harshly criticised by the opposition after he downplayed his government’s declaration of emergency for the 2023 budget following the constitutional court’s ruling – as questions remain over how to fill the €60 billion hole in the climate fund.

Pharmaceutical companies may be gradually improving at notifying drug shortages to the Swedish Medical Products Agency on time, but delays are still common and the agency is now examining suspected violations, which could result in fines of up to almost €9 million.

Belgium’s parliament recently approved the health minister’s bill for the exclusive provision of MRI and CT scans at official rates. without extra charges, but the Belgian doctors’ syndicate has called for constructive consultations, fearing the measure will have a counter-effect.

A citizens’ initiative supported by half a million Poles regarding the return of a state-funded in vitro fertilisation (IVF) programme is dividing lawmakers despite the increasing problem caused by infertility.

The European Commission unveiled an action plan on Tuesday to accelerate the roll-out of electricity grids and remove bottlenecks hampering the deployment of renewable energies at the local level.

The deal between the French government and state-owned utility EDF to regulate nuclear power sales prices at an average of €70 per megawatt-hour (MWh) may be subject to EU state aid rules, according to experts, while the European Commission said it would reserve judgment until further details emerge.

Government offices in the EU can ban employees wearing religious symbols such as Islamic headscarves, even when they do not have contact with the public, the Court of Justice of the EU ruled Tuesday.

Don’t miss this week’s Transport Brief: The fight for your passenger rights.

Look out for…

• European Business Summit in Brussels Tuesday-Wednesday.
• Parliament President Robertan Metsola delivers speech on 75th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Wednesday.
• Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meets in Brussels Thursday.
• General Affairs Council meets in Brussels Thursday.

Views are the author’s

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic/Alice Taylor]