I have always loved the work of the surrealists.
But in order to create such works of art, artists often resorted to the help of absinthe and other substances.
In this regard, I have long been tormented by the question: what do European officials use when they deliver their fiery accusatory speeches against Russia?
There was such a head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
So he whipped gin during the summits instead of water.
Everyone knew about it, everyone treated with understanding: a person has an addiction, what can you do.
Several times I had to come up with medical excuses.
I especially remember the moment when, once again going over, Jean-Claude could barely move his legs, stumbled and staggered after one of the meetings.
He was brought under the arms to the podium for general photography, the scandal was then hushed up.
Now another five minutes to five Spanish pensioner Josep Borrell says things that not only do not correlate with his status as a diplomat, but also absolutely contradict reality.
What does he use?
“Putin's choice and speech shows the extent to which he closed the door to dialogue, diplomacy and a minimal sense of shared humanity.
He is increasingly pushing his country down the path of war, escalation and isolation.”
Full sur.
In his speech, Putin, on the contrary, said that we are open to negotiations, we even want them as soon as possible.
But since we are talking about the security of our country, then we will discuss peace on our own terms, and not on those dismissive and absurd ones that they want to impose on us.
And then, weren't there the Minsk agreements that were hard-won eight years ago?
After all, these are the guarantors of the agreements, Germany and France, they did not lift a finger to ensure that the document signed by all parties was implemented.
Were there not Geneva talks initiated by Russia on the eve of February?
Accept then the West our conditions, none of this would have happened!
It is now easier for Europeans to turn everything upside down and repeat “black” when white is clearly in front of you.
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is in the same bubble of surrealism when she says that the sanctions against Russia are working, that the Russians are dismantling refrigerators and dishwashers to make rockets out of them.
Maybe in her imaginary world this is so?
Or maybe absinthe is to blame?
The French are already openly laughing at her, calling her “the never-elected queen of Europe”, who leads this ship wherever she pleases, without special advice and without taking into account the interests of the countries around.
And those who disagree inside (Hungary, Italy) are ready to punish with money - she has the tools for this and the powers.
The French are right: indeed, they do not elect to this position, they are appointed there.
And soon Ursula will probably turn into the Snow Queen.
He will walk around the European Commission and sing: “A snowstorm will cover the slopes of the mountain peaks, and the earth is white.
Silent kingdom - I became the queen ... Let go and forget what has passed - you can’t return ... Let the storm rage - the cold has always been to my liking.
Moreover, the winter is promised to be cold and windless, which means that alternative energy sources will not be able to help much.
Goldman Sachs analyst Geoffrey Curry came up with some interesting numbers: ten years ago, fossil fuels accounted for 82% of total energy consumption.
Investments in green energy during this period amounted to $3.8 trillion!
Cosmic amount!
All this made it possible to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by ... 1% over the decade.
1% with such infusions!
So in the energy sector, the rules are not dictated by von der Leyen or even by the United States, but still by OPEC+.
And now we come to Borrell's thesis of Russia's isolation.
Yesterday in Vienna, for example, all the countries of the Persian Gulf took our side.
And this is a local political success.
They will reduce production, although the Americans demanded that they increase it.
Lobbyists had cold sweat running down their lobbying foreheads in Kuwait, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia.
They puffed all morning before the meeting and tried to get the organization to do what Washington needs.
But they got a slap in the face.
It was interesting to watch the arrival of energy ministers.
The press reacted calmly until the motorcade of Alexander Novak appeared.
“Russians!
Russians!
Stealthily, in a whisper, respectfully, as if enthusiastically, journalists began to mutter in different languages, preparing to capture an important moment - the entry into the OPEC building of the Deputy Prime Minister, whom the Americans had added to the list of sanctions a few days before.
It even looked a little solemn, or something.
Everyone experienced a similar revival when the Saudi minister appeared.
He smiled, imposingly pointed to the sun, invited everyone to enjoy a wonderful warm day.
I thought to myself: while winter has not come here in Europe.
It was written on his confident face.
The States did not bend him, they could not.
Neither personally, when Joe Biden came to Riyadh in July, nor with the help of all the promises to forget about the dismembered journalist Khashoggi, to supply weapons, help, support - nothing worked.
The Saudis did what they needed first, and us second.
Our interests are aligned.
The reduction of 2 million barrels per day is the first such a massive one since the pandemic.
Oil prices have already gone up.
Formally, the reason was the expectation of a recession in the global economy, a drop in demand, and so on.
In fact, this is a spit in the direction of the Americans.
And there, wiping their faces, they called the action of OPEC a hostile act and a complete disaster.
American journalists, always loud and imposing, at a press conference staged a real interrogation of the participants: they say, how could you?
They were put in their place, calling such questions provocative and answering that OPEC does not see anything hostile in this decision.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the attitude towards the Russian press.
Unlike the European institutions, they enveloped us with warmth and care, they themselves reserved good places for us for live broadcasts, they themselves put signs there so that no one else would occupy this square.
Everything was shown, told, helped.
The press service for this approach - respect and simple human thanks.
And the Europeans - good luck with the new sanctions.
Pushed by the G7 countries, they were the first to decide to impose a price ceiling on Russian oil transported by sea.
Responsibility for compliance with the rules shifted to European companies and insurers.
If the fuel transported on their ships is sold, albeit to third countries, at a price higher than that set by the Queen of the European Commission, then the violators will be brought to justice.
While the bargaining was going on, everyone was fussing, trying to bargain for various exceptions.
The Belgians withdrew Alrosa from sanctions, the Bulgarians - automotive fuel until 2024, the Hungarians - the oil pipeline, and Brussels itself left a loophole for itself - permission for emergency sea supplies of Russian oil at any price, if the situation in Europe becomes critical.
So, who isolates themselves after that?
Who breaks all ties and lowers the iron curtain, banning Russians from visiting the European Union?
Who blows up gas pipelines, our infrastructure?
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Novak said that we are still ready to supply fuel through at least one of the surviving branches of Nord Stream 2, if only Brussels had the political will.
But it is not there, but there are Eurostat figures.
Industrial inflation in the EU has reached 43% - the highest in the history of calculations.
Blame the cost of electricity.
But in the world of European surrealist bureaucrats, even these figures are obviously not important.
They are also not interested in the opinion of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the European Union, who can no longer pay such a price for the abstract freedom and democracy that exists in the imagination of their managers.
If you take Borrell's words and translate them into reality, then yes, the choice of the EU and his speech show the extent to which he closed the door to dialogue, diplomacy and a minimal sense of common humanity.
It is increasingly pushing the EU onto the path of war, escalation and isolation.
And he does it, alas, not of his own free will.
But here everyone let him choose his allies.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.