Soviet leader urges US, EU to ‘defrost relations’ with Russia
11 Dec 2014 11:37 PM GMT
The last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Tuesday urged the United States and the European Union to “defrost” relations with Moscow despite tensions over Ukraine.
The 83-year-old said in an article published in state daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta that the Ukraine crisis had led the West not only to impose sanctions on Russia but also to wind up cooperation on global issues from counter-terrorism to climate change and disease epidemics.
“We must urgently defrost relations,” Gorbachev said.“I suggest that the leaders of Russia and the United States think about holding a summit on a broad agenda, without preliminary conditions... The same kind of summit must be prepared between Russia and the European Union.”
Russia and the United States “carry special responsibility”, Gorbachev said. “When they walk away from it, the world sees terrible consequences.”Both sides should climb down from their ideological positions, he said. “We shouldn’t be afraid that someone will ‘lose face’ or someone will win a propaganda victory.
The 83-year-old said in an article published in state daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta that the Ukraine crisis had led the West not only to impose sanctions on Russia but also to wind up cooperation on global issues from counter-terrorism to climate change and disease epidemics.
“We must urgently defrost relations,” Gorbachev said.“I suggest that the leaders of Russia and the United States think about holding a summit on a broad agenda, without preliminary conditions... The same kind of summit must be prepared between Russia and the European Union.”
Russia and the United States “carry special responsibility”, Gorbachev said. “When they walk away from it, the world sees terrible consequences.”Both sides should climb down from their ideological positions, he said. “We shouldn’t be afraid that someone will ‘lose face’ or someone will win a propaganda victory.
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