Historical lectures instead of specifics: whom Putin sent to Abu Dhabi

Russia will again be represented in Abu Dhabi by Vladimir Medinsky. Putin even summoned him to the Security Council so that everyone could see: the negotiating group is ready. What exactly that means is hinted at by its biography.

Medinsky is a former culture minister and founder of the Russian Military-Historical Society. In Istanbul he stepped out to television cameras after the negotiations and reminded that the Northern War with Sweden lasted 21 year. Twenty-one.

He also quoted Napoleon: war and negotiations go on at the same time. Fact-checkers of this phrase could not find it in Napoleon. There was also a quote from Bismarck that Russians always return for more.

The site of the same Military-Historical Society, which Medinsky leads, questions it. Fake classics are brought to negotiations to exert pressure; protocols are not needed.

The first two rounds in Abu Dhabi Moscow entrusted to the head of the GRU Kostyukov: a military intelligence officer, dry and to the point. In Geneva he was replaced by Medinsky, and according to Axios, the political group got stuck precisely on his positions.

Now the Kremlin returns the man with whom they already got stuck once. This is also a response, and cheaper than any statement by Peskov. Zelenskiy somehow noticed that Medinsky, like Putin, loves to philosophize about “historical roots.” Here they truly coincide.

Ukraine will listen to a lecture on the eighteenth century politely. What will be counted will be what Russia is ready to record in numbers and dates: exchanges, energy, children. If after two days in the protocol only Peter I remains, Moscow has brought another tour guide.