On Friday Georgian vice-premier Georgy Baramidze stated in a press-conference in Brussels that it is “critical moment” now. “Russia has crossed the red line” and “Europe must respond jointly with European-Atlantic community”. “We ask for support by international community so that to prevent Russia legalizing actual annexation of these territories” said the vice-premier.  

Georgian delegation came to Brussels on purpose. Ukraine and Georgia not being included into the number of candidates for joining NATO, it was considered to be a diplomatic success by Vladimir Putin. However, those two were promised they anyway would become NATO members in the future, which actually cancelled Putin’s victory.

Brussels has no doubt that the Kremlin is revenging on the West for having recognized Kosovo independence and promises made to Kiev and Tbilisi.

The pathos by Georgian officials is understandable. More important is the fact they received more clear support than it was before. The General Secretary of NATO speaks very seldom about relations between the third parties, Russia and Georgia in this case. And this time Yaap de Hoop Skheffer was the first to express deep concern with Russia’s actions on establishing legal relations with Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.      

NATO spokesperson James Appaturai told to a Novaya Gazeta correspondent that at the meeting held in the NATO head-quarters Mr. Baramidze had confirmed the intention of his government to follow the peaceful plan of restoring the Tbilisi’s sovereignty in the two rebellious territories, and NATO supports it.

The EU also spoke in support of Georgia on Friday. The statement made on behalf of the 27 members by the Slovenian chairmanship appealed to Russia not to execute her decision about establishing relations with separatist groups in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The EU is concerned with those decisions taken without consent by Georgia and without any consultations done to the international community. In Slovenian chairmanship opinion, the decisions by Moscow may raise tension and harm the efforts on peaceful settlement where Russia takes part too. 

Observers in Brussels also notice certain efforts from the Russia’s side that appears to be worried with aggravation of relations with NATO and EU.  

Putin needed very much his friend Silvio Berlusconi to win in Italy. Despite the fact that Berlusconi is considered to be the “black sheep” in Europe, Italy carries authority in NATO and EU. In 2002 it was Berlusconi to convince his NATO colleagues to put the NATO-RUSSIA relations to a new level.

The process is going on. Next step will be a meeting of the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov with the leading three members of the EU in Luxembourg on 29 April. Before that the Council of foreign ministers of the EU may have confirmed the mandate by the European Commission for carrying out talks with Russia about the new fundamental partnership agreement. The agreement is needed by both parties, and it is even more needed by Europeans. The matter is about the agreement signed by Boris Yeltsin in 1994 that is to be replaced.     

The beginning itself of the talks, that was blocked by Warsaw during two years due to problems of Polish meat export to Russia, appears to be almost a breakthrough. However, Vladimir Chizhov, the Russian resident representative at the EU, told to a Novaya Gazeta correspondent that he would consider not beginning but completion of the talks to be a success. The agenda of the coming round table is to include Georgia, energy, trade and many other issues.