Translated and subtitled by Scott Humor

The Chairman of the Accounts Chamber Alexei Kudrin had actually offered to surrender to the West in exchange for lifting of sanctions. This is according to his statement made at the meeting of the board of The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP).

 


After the Ukrainian Maidan, a subtle joke was popular on the Runet that once the most successful business operation was considered a purchase of the island of Manhattan from the local Indians in exchange for glass beads, but Victoria Nuland with a package of cookies was able to surpass this success. It seems, Kudrin tries to steal Nuland’s laurels by surrendering our country even not for material values in the form of biscuits but only for empty promises. To quote the statement of this liberal:

“We must clearly realize that if sanctions are increased, the goals set by the President are practically unattainable in many respects, including technological and social development.”

Let’s see how everything here is smartly wrapped up. Like, those who are against the lifting of sanctions are also against achieving the goals set by Putin. Here he is at it again:

“Therefore, today Russia’s foreign policy should be subordinated to the reduction of tension in our relations with other countries, and, at least, to the preservation or reduction of the sanctions regime, not to the build-up. Today I would measure the effectiveness of our foreign policy on this indicator.”

[Clip from a feature film: “Katz offers to surrender.”]

I thought that Russia’s foreign policy should be subordinated to the protection of national interests, regardless of relations with these “other countries.” But, it’s not. According to Kudrin, the main thing is that the sanctions regime won’t deteriorate any further.

“According to Kudrin, Russia does not have such global problems and risks of military and political importance that would require increasing tensions with other countries. This component is today, perhaps, the key in accomplishment of the President announced goals,” he concluded.”

That is, the Eastern Europe and Scandinavia packed with American troops are not among the risks of military and political importance, according to Kudrin. Okay. I wonder what would the head of the Accounts Chamber do if in an apartment next door to him would moved an armed to the teeth person, who is constantly aiming at Kudrin’s windows with different deadly mechanisms, while arguing that he is just practicing and plotting nothing.

Would this liberal consider such a neighbor not to be among the risks that would require an increase in tension with a neighbor in the form of going to the police, or even hiring armed guards? Do you think?

What is also characteristic is to hear such statements coming from someone who actually has nothing to do with implementation of foreign policy. On the contrary. People who work in foreign policy speak very differently.

“Russia sees the West as an enemy and does not see the need to care about how she looks in his eyes, said Deputy foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

“We do not believe that the West, in its broader sense, is our friend. On the contrary, we consider the West as an adversary who acts to undermine Russia’s positions and prospects for its normal development,” Ryabkov said in an interview with the Financial Times.

“So why should we care so much about how we look in the eyes of our adversaries?”- said the Deputy Minister.”

So what if it was said by a career diplomat? He probably wants to harm the implementation of Putin’s decrees. Would you say it’s not so?

Today, according to Kudrin, we have to surrender as if for technological and social development. And then, after that, they say, maybe the following day, the West will soften the sanctions. I have some questions to Kudrin. What will prevent the West from reinstating these sanctions back, after we make all those change? Who would guarantee that the West, which regularly betrays its allies, won’t do it again? And why should we care about the tension with “other countries,” which were initiated by those other countries?

[Graphic of countries that sanctioned Russia shown in red, in yellow – the EU countries speaking against anti-Russian sanctions, and in blue – countries that condemned the anti-Russian sanctions.]

Look at China, India and our neighbors in the region where most of the world’s population lives, we have no tension there, so isn’t this enough?

Of course, we won’t get any answers. But, we don’t need them, because the answers are known with or without Kudrin. I’m more concerned with finding out whom Kudrin represents? On whose behalf Kudrin makes these statements? I do not believe that he just expresses his personal opinion. He’s isn’t alone inside the government who wants to capitulate. When, do you think, these capitulators will be thrown out of the high seats?