Why Putin ignores the G8 summit, and Obama ignores the APEC summit?
World media are scratching their heads, why Putin has refused to visit the G8 summit that will take place in the U.S., and Obama has refused to go to the APEC summit (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) in Russia.
Most popular versions are the follows: 1) Putin want to avoid criticism for the oppression of democracy (eg, see: National Review); 2) Putin makes it clear to Washington of his unwillingness to continue the policy of “reset” and even the willingness to return to the level of relations of the “Cold War” times. The Christian Science Monitor even quoted an expert of Moscow think tank “The Council on Foreign and Defense Policies” Dmitry Suslov that perhaps Putin is “sending the message that the Kremlin would actually prefer a Mitt Romney presidency,” who called Russia “a geopolitical foe”.
In my opinion, the assumption that Putin may be scared of criticism, do not stand any criticism itself
Even relatively mild Medvedev at the EU-Russia summit in December 2011 severely cut off European attempts to assess the Russian State Duma elections, saying that it was Russian internal matter. Therefore, a possible response of a harsh Putin certainly could eclipse even Khrushchev’s historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 1960 when he threatened “to show Kuzma’s mother” to the West (that Russian idiom means strong threat, like “We’ll bury you”). And still it is hardly realistic that G8 leaders planned to strongly criticize Putin - since the beginning of the economic crisis, they reserved democracy issues for the less powerful foreign partners, such as Belarus and Ukraine.
So, I think that the causes of mutual Putin-Obama summits disregard may be the following:
1. Due to high oil prices, Russia is not in need of G8 assistance, therefore, it sees no vital need for this meeting. Especially since the geopolitical and economic weight of G8 is no longer what it was several years ago: the world is undergoing structurization by regions, therefore for all participants of the summit of more important are decisions made in such organizations as the EU, BRICS, APEC, etc.
2. Russia and the U.S. have different vision of the Pacific region future (see “Are Russia and Europe Ready for a New Pacific World Order?”), so Obama has no reason to visit the APEC summit organized by the Moscow. And Putin certainly wants to be the sole host of the summit, so he don’t need the presence of a leader of still the most powerful nation.
3. Putin wants Obama to re-elected because Russia has not yet regained enough strength to enter into a new “cold war”. That is why Putin allows Obama to save face and avoid meetings, for which Obama would certainly receive a new portion of criticism from the Republicans. Mitt Romney is waiting for the occasion to ask Obama why did not he criticize Putin for the oppression of democracy. By ignoring the summits Putin and Obama deprive the Republican’s leader of such possibility.
And by the way, all he needs to tell Putin, Obama is always able to transmit through Medvedev
Most popular versions are the follows: 1) Putin want to avoid criticism for the oppression of democracy (eg, see: National Review); 2) Putin makes it clear to Washington of his unwillingness to continue the policy of “reset” and even the willingness to return to the level of relations of the “Cold War” times. The Christian Science Monitor even quoted an expert of Moscow think tank “The Council on Foreign and Defense Policies” Dmitry Suslov that perhaps Putin is “sending the message that the Kremlin would actually prefer a Mitt Romney presidency,” who called Russia “a geopolitical foe”.
In my opinion, the assumption that Putin may be scared of criticism, do not stand any criticism itself
Even relatively mild Medvedev at the EU-Russia summit in December 2011 severely cut off European attempts to assess the Russian State Duma elections, saying that it was Russian internal matter. Therefore, a possible response of a harsh Putin certainly could eclipse even Khrushchev’s historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 1960 when he threatened “to show Kuzma’s mother” to the West (that Russian idiom means strong threat, like “We’ll bury you”). And still it is hardly realistic that G8 leaders planned to strongly criticize Putin - since the beginning of the economic crisis, they reserved democracy issues for the less powerful foreign partners, such as Belarus and Ukraine.
So, I think that the causes of mutual Putin-Obama summits disregard may be the following:
1. Due to high oil prices, Russia is not in need of G8 assistance, therefore, it sees no vital need for this meeting. Especially since the geopolitical and economic weight of G8 is no longer what it was several years ago: the world is undergoing structurization by regions, therefore for all participants of the summit of more important are decisions made in such organizations as the EU, BRICS, APEC, etc.
2. Russia and the U.S. have different vision of the Pacific region future (see “Are Russia and Europe Ready for a New Pacific World Order?”), so Obama has no reason to visit the APEC summit organized by the Moscow. And Putin certainly wants to be the sole host of the summit, so he don’t need the presence of a leader of still the most powerful nation.
3. Putin wants Obama to re-elected because Russia has not yet regained enough strength to enter into a new “cold war”. That is why Putin allows Obama to save face and avoid meetings, for which Obama would certainly receive a new portion of criticism from the Republicans. Mitt Romney is waiting for the occasion to ask Obama why did not he criticize Putin for the oppression of democracy. By ignoring the summits Putin and Obama deprive the Republican’s leader of such possibility.
And by the way, all he needs to tell Putin, Obama is always able to transmit through Medvedev