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EU not going back to rationality in its ties with Russia anytime soon — ex-top diplomat

Karin Kneissl, former Austrian foreign minister, noted that she had already realized back in 2020 how irrational people in Austria had become

MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. Karin Kneissl, former Austrian foreign minister and head of the Geopolitical Observatory for Russia’s Key Issues (GORKI), a research center at St. Petersburg State University, expressed doubt that the EU will be able to return to a reasonable approach in its relations with Russia on resolving the Ukrainian crisis anytime soon.

"Two days ago, I said that the EU is interested in tanks not talks. But they have no tanks. While watching the hysteria in the western media, I doubt that the Europeans will soon get back to a rational approach," she wrote on her Telegram channel.

Kneissl noted that she had already realized back in 2020 how irrational people in Austria had become. "So I left. It might take a while until the adults will be back to Brussels. For the time being, we see lots of highly emotional wrinkled teenagers. And that carries many risks," the former diplomat stressed.

She also emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Donald Trump had shown strong determination despite a busy schedule, risks, and high stakes. "And they made it happen: Russia and the US are back to a partnership, which started with their phone conversations since February and the normalization of diplomatic cooperation," she added.

At a press conference following his talks with Trump in Alaska, Putin said Moscow hoped Kiev and Brussels would not obstruct the progress made in settling the Ukrainian crisis.