"We have been left alone against Russia"

The war started and diplomacy was nothing more than a dialogue of the deaf. NATO knew full well that Russia would never accept it on its borders, let alone in Ukraine. Why did diplomacy fail? 

For weeks, the US, as NATO's mouthpiece, and the Russians have been escalating tensions and brandishing each other's war potentials and threats. Negotiations that took place in a hostile environment, even though they were described as diplomacy. 

NATO has been unable to respond to Russian concerns about its enlargement or to reassure Putin about its security. As a result, Russia recognised the Ukrainian rebel republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, thereby breaking the Minsk agreements, only to violate Ukraine's borders in a flagrant display of contempt for international law. 

It is clear that the negotiations between the Americans and Russians had failed, giving way to a reprehensible war in the heart of Europe, in the 21st century, in the eyes of a NATO that thought it could regain the prestige of yesteryear, shattered by its shameful exit from Afghanistan, but which has once again been humiliated. It is no longer a question of a relationship of political balance or security in the area, but of a relationship of force that threatens the West. Now it is Putin who is approaching NATO. Given the West's weakness, Putin has just threatened Sweden and Finland. Following this logic, Moldova and Georgia could be in danger. Putin seems to be on a rampage. 

Biden, Blinken, Johnson and Macron all spoke and pleaded on behalf of Ukraine. They even threatened Russia, in case of invasion, with harsh and costly responses. Right now, like all of us, the US, NATO and the EU are watching the game from the sidelines, while Volodymir Zelensky, who thought he was backed by all of them, has just proclaimed his solitude, realising that neither the US nor Europe would sacrifice anything for Ukraine. Meanwhile, the EU, which has been in its role, as usual, absent and with many voices and many meetings here and there, insisting on useless economic sanctions while coordinating the reception of refugees. And incapable of a military response from NATO.  

Russia's political and economic isolation will only increase war tensions, as well as economic tensions, which will delay sine die the desired post-Covid-19 recovery, aggravating inflationary pressure due to the interruption of gas supplies. This is the price of European bureaucracy for not having green energy alternatives. In fact, nuclear energy has just been declared green, late and badly.  

On the other hand, looking to Algerian gas could be a solution, but not without consequences. This would place the Algerian military junta in a serious dilemma. Russia's ally Algeria has already announced its technical inability to supply gas to all of Europe. And Russia is likely to prevent its ally from doing business with its enemies at its expense. In any case, the gas would go through the opening of the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline (GME), where Morocco has the final say. 

Putin has decided to bring back the USSR by announcing, in his address to the nation, that it had been a mistake to dismantle the USSR's power. Today in Kiev, his tanks parade under the Soviet flag. NATO's expansion into Russia has been a golden opportunity for Putin. But what vital need did NATO have to expand into Russia, and wouldn't it have been viable for Ukraine to proclaim its neutrality by joining the EU? 

It is time to return to the table for direct negotiations between Zelenski and Putin and for the West to remain in the stands as a stone's throw guest. Nothing NATO or the EU can do to defend Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

The failure of diplomacy is a reflection of the failed world order that the US and the EU are trying to build not only behind Russia's back but as an adversary instead of integrating it into their midst. Democracy? the EU has just held a summit with more than 50 African countries where more than 80% of them are formed by coup military juntas. 

"We have been left alone" is the most repeated phrase of Ukrainians in the face of the incompetence of NATO and the EU, which have once again run away with their tails between their legs. 

Diplomacy had failed, because it was easy to persist when neither NATO nor the EU were risking lives that Ukrainians are paying for today.