The frenzy with which the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security was lectured in Brussels, of course, surprised even the seasoned.
I talked on the sidelines with the assistants of the MEPs, and they say that they will not remember this.
There was not so much screeching and hatred in the European Parliament even after the Ukrainian events in 2014.
And then the deputies broke loose.
It would seem that such an ordinary visit to Russia, Borrell accepted Lavrov's invitation.
The trip itself raised no questions.
It was prepared in advance, as is usually the case.
The agenda was known.
The visit was preceded by a whole round of consultations of political directors.
Two days before Borrell's arrival in Moscow, four Russian deputy foreign ministers at once received European representatives.
There was a positive, calm discussion.
Nobody even thought about asking for a meeting with the "Berlin patient", because they understood perfectly well that Russia would not allow interfering in its internal affairs.
Borrell was also told about this, personally, face to face, already at the meeting, at the same time Lavrov warned him that if he raised this topic at a press conference, he would receive a reply about Catalan political prisoners in response, which would certainly piss off Madrid.
Although it was not even so much about those who tried to organize a referendum on secession, but about Spain's reaction to the questions of the European Union regarding controversial court cases.
Madrid at one time sent Brussels with its claims on foot.
Borrel and Navalny were sent there by Russia.
They can, we cannot.
The Europeans were hurt.
And then the head of European diplomacy took the floor to praise the Russian vaccine and congratulate our scientists.
I was outraged that he praised on behalf of the European Union what the European Union had not yet approved.
And the third point concerns Cuba.
Standing next to Lavrov in Moscow, Borrell took and made an attack on the United States - on behalf of the EU, he condemned the American embargo against Cuba.
And this is at a time when the Europeans are trying in every possible way to curry favor with the new American administration, count on reciprocity, diligently scold Trump, were even among the first to congratulate Biden on his victory long before the official results were announced, and now they are calling him to come on a visit.
In general, 73-year-old Borrell, although an experienced diplomat, has clearly said too much.
I realized this already on the plane on the way back, although, apparently, I myself did not expect to be greeted so harshly.
What they just didn’t tell him in the European Parliament: both about incompetence and about shame, they asked if there were eggs, it seemed that at some point they would come up, pull out the chair with him and throw them into the hall.
Borrell endured, although it was clear how the veins on his neck were running.
Then he began to explain himself and immediately figured out how to get out.
Like, I went to make sure that we do not want a dialogue, and I was convinced.
And therefore, yes, of course, he will personally develop new sanctions (as if it helped at least once in communicating with our country), they will certainly be discussed at the meeting of the heads of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the 27 EU countries in February, and then there will be a summit of the leaders of the countries at the end of March , there, you see, and will approve, if everyone agrees.
True, some need tourists, others need a pipe, still others need vaccines, and still others have nothing against us.
How can we negotiate sanctions here?
Obviously, we need each other, that God himself and geography told us to cooperate.
But no.
They climb into the bottle.
And I want to ask them a question, do we not want a dialogue?
Did we roll it up?
After all, before the Ukrainian "Maidan" life was in full swing, for years a multi-level architecture of political dialogue was built, two Russia-EU summits were held a year.
The last one took place on January 29, 2014.
The next one was scheduled for June 3, but it was the European delegation that refused to fly to Sochi.
Since then - silence.
The Permanent Partnership Council is not working - it was a platform where ministers of the Interior, Justice, Energy, Transport, Agriculture, Environment, Culture, Science and Education met.
Since the spring of 2014, it was the European Parliament that unilaterally suspended participation in the Russia-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.
Members of both chambers of the Federal Assembly came there and talked with European deputies.
The last time in Strasbourg, they jointly adopted a statement on the protection of ethno-confessional minorities in Syria, including Christians.
Useful business.
Until that crucial year 2014, intensive work was carried out in 14 different areas, now only one thing is barely alive - the discussion of aviation security.
And in each case, it was the EU that refused the dialogue.
The points of contact, of course, remain.
For example, on the Iranian nuclear agreement, we and the Europeans are on the same side of the front, consultations take place almost every day, after Borrell's visit to Moscow, another videoconference was held at the level of political directors.
There were also successful negotiations on energy, two years ago an agreement was signed for a period of five years on the transit of gas to Europe through the territory of Ukraine.
Well, perhaps, from the good and all.
Now the epidemic has also limited contacts.
There are meetings, but few.
If earlier a lot could be solved by whispering on the sidelines, using simple human charm, now it is replacing everything with a flat screen.
To convey our position qualitatively, we need personal communication, it is not enough.
Russian deputies admitted this to me in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, at the only platform where they can still conduct a direct dialogue.
When there is no conversation, there is no understanding.
You can continue to live in illusions, drawing in your head and on paper a cartoon bear with a red star in its forehead, and walk around to scare everyone around.
They don't know that Russia has changed long ago, that it patiently, intelligently and condescendingly looks at all these cries and calmly waits for the Europeans to come to their senses and understand the value of working with us.
Business, by the way, understands and, in spite of any sanctions, continues to conduct joint business whenever possible.
Well, politicians - everyone has his own, for whom to be against, personal, who has a different interest - if they change their minds, you are welcome.
But no, the dog is with them, we were not the first to start, Sergei Viktorovich is right, right.
The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.