The French Republic, of course, has always been a slightly frivolous girl purely politically.
Even when her army was rightfully considered the strongest on the continent.
This, by the way, was not so long ago - and what about the current, meager for strong actions and big ideas, but abundant in all sorts of postmodern fluctuations, European times.
And that is precisely why the words and actions of French politicians should be treated with a certain degree of purely ironic vigilance: even the weather in Paris is a rather changeable thing, and as for various fouettés, including those with graceful overshoes in the air, here in French politics genuine master.
Here's another, it would seem, at the beginning of last week, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Bon officially called on Germany to abandon the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as part of anti-Russian sanctions against the background of the arrest of blogger Alexei Navalny.
And he called very strongly.
Absolutely, one might say.
“We need to go further, the Nord Stream 2 option is being considered, but the decision is up to the German side, because it is located in Germany.
And we have always said that we have the biggest doubts about this project, ”the French Secretary of State insisted on France Inter.
And the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic, Jean-Yves Le Drian, called directly to make the sanctions on Navalny's case "really effective."
And it was quite clear what exactly he meant.
But the fuse did not last long.
And now by the end of the same week, so cheerfully begun by the anti-German demarche of Clement Bona, the official position of the Fifth Republic in the most unconstrained way changed to the exact opposite.
On Friday, at an online meeting of the Franco-German Council for Defense and Security, French President Emmanuel Macron, quite sincerely and as formally as his subordinates had previously opposed, publicly supported Germany's position on the mandatory, non-negotiated completion of the construction of the North stream - 2 ".
Watch what is called your hands.
And here it is absolutely no longer a matter of the frivolity of French politicians: they just thought that it was a matter of an ordinary Franco-German skirmish, an exchange of barbs, when it didn't even matter what it was about.
The main thing is to improve the political position, or rather to clarify it according to the well-known Gallic principle: who is more important, that is longer.
But only in this particular case, the “unexpected” bestial seriousness of the Germans, as well as the apparent lack of attunement of Frau Bundescanzlerin to tolerant attitude towards all sorts of French playfuls and other delicious tricks on this very specific issue, quickly defused the situation.
Everything is simple here.
Why this is exactly so, according to such an entertaining and impetuous scenario, it happened to us, and to all other interested parties, was explained in some detail and bluntly by another prominent, albeit young European politician, whose opinion within the EU has recently become more and more weighty ...
Namely, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz - in an interview published on Saturday, which is typical, given to one of the German publications.
We must pay tribute: despite the seeming straightforwardness, Vienna has always been very strong precisely in diplomatic nuances.
You can't even take it away.
“I welcome that the German government continues to support the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline,” in particular the Austrian leader said very clearly and unequivocally.
“And I don’t think that the reaction to actions against opposition leader Navalny should be somehow linked to the construction of Nord Stream 2.
Anyone who thinks that the new pipeline meets the interests of only Russia is wrong. "
And then he additionally explained for those who are completely dull (and with frankness that bribes, for example, personally me personally) that Austria, Germany and other European countries will benefit primarily from the implementation of the gas pipeline project.
And by no means Russia.
And, therefore, it is necessary to separate the flies from the cutlets.
As well as separating the rights of a citizen Navalny taken for a separate place from the common right of Germany and Austria to build this gas pipeline: absolutely no one in Europe will get any worse from such a division of problems.
But at least the positions will become clearer.
So Macron, although he was French, but still a real and adult politician, also instantly realized that the jokes, in general, were over.
After that, he gave the "necessary signal": in a common European boat now and so it is not very fun, there is no need to load it with such problems.
And in general, how (quite ... mm, let's say, pragmatically, on the verge of political cynicism) another German-speaking European politician, the Minister of Economy and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany Peter Altmeier expressed himself (and this is so wonderful that it must also be quoted literally), “one the question is economic relations and economic projects that have been implemented by companies for decades, the other is serious violations of human rights and our reaction to this. "
Strictly speaking, this is exactly what was required to be proved.
Everything is quite expected.
In fact, everything is really quite simple: in the confrontation around the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, of course, nothing is over yet.
On the contrary, everything is just entering a decisive phase.
Which, apparently, will begin immediately after the technical completion of the Russian side of the project, as they say, "in hardware."
This was understood for a long time and is no longer so important.
But such a certainty precisely in the European position, primarily in the position of the German-speaking Central European powers and France, which immediately joined them, so brilliantly formulated by the Austrian chancellor in the indescribable Viennese style “this is actually ours, leave me alone” - this is really something new.
Because it turns out that Europe, almost for the first time at such a high level, officially declares to its overseas senior comrades: “We know that you are imposing these very sanctions not against the Russians, but against us, your partners”.
And you know that we know that.
Well, what are we going to do next, in this situation like this?
Agree?
Or?..
By the way, Merkel is by no means cunning when she says that she does not exclude the possibility that she will be able to reach a compromise on Nord Stream 2 with the Biden administration: she has arguments for this, and they are quite convincing.
And the new American president has no oil money, and he is generally not very disposed to support even his energy sector.
Therefore, their dialogue will be quite interesting to watch.
But what in this situation pleases most of all is the truly strong position of the Russian side, which is not going to be Europeans more than the Europeans themselves and to drag chestnuts from the American sanctions fire for old Europe.
At the moment, this, by the way, greatly helps the real construction of the gas pipeline.
Well, then ... then we all have nothing to do but that is interested (although not without malice) to observe everything that happens.
Moreover, there is no doubt that the next move, whatever it may be, should be taken in this tangled story by the American side.
Just by the logic of events.
Well, what the Europeans are now experiencing about this, we in the Russian Federation, in principle, very well understand, because we have already passed it.
It's just ... Yes, there are times when you just on your own skin and by your own wallet understand how much such seemingly ghostly things as state and economic sovereignty actually cost.
The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.