On the values of the Western world and Putin’s mockery

The basic question of the political philosophy of the 21st century is - is everything determined by politics, or do values also play a role? In itself, such an premise in today's civilized world is considered impolite, because it is obvious that it is the ideals of democracy and humanism that unite the European Union, NATO and other international structures whose main task is to directly maintain, preserve and develop these values.

So why does this question arise from time to time? Because nothing undermines faith in ideals more than hypocrisy and duplicity. When we are talking about values ​​and ideals, but doing what is more profitable at the moment. The EU can use all its financial power to take action against Poland and Hungary, which are pursuing policies that are incompatible with EU values, but in that case, those who point the finger at these countries must themselves be blameless. Is it so?

When the West talks about values, Russia not only laughs openly about it, but mocks it. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov (not some insignificant MP or TV propagandist) informs the world without the slightest embarrassment that the "Berlin patient" (what the Russian officials call Alexei Navalny) fell into a coma in Omsk Hospital with "metabolic disorders" but was poisoned with a banned nerve agent Novichok either in a German medical transport plane or already at the Charite clinic in Berlin. That is, you [who accuse us] poisoned him yourselves.

It must be said as it is. This is even more of a brazen spit in the face for the "Western partners" than the assumption made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron that Navalny has poisoned himself by sipping Novichok from a flask. Putin publicly humiliates Western leaders by following the Leningrad house rules, where swallowing verbal insults is incomparably more shameful than being physically beaten. And the West is just swallowing this again and again, to the amusement of Putin and all his gang.

When Putin was once a member of the G8 World Leaders’ Club, he was literally fuming about Western leaders' talk of "values," which Putin said was just a veil of smoke behind which he could quietly do his dirty things. When Western leaders spoke of "values" in Putin's presence, Putin was offended because he saw it as a desire not to see him as one of them. "You can hang those spaghetti about 'values' on the ears of your people, but why repeat that 'nonsense' among serious people here?" Putin considered to himself. And he has certain rights to such attitude. Judge for yourself.

At the end of August, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is taken to a Berlin hospital. The German Bundeswehr laboratory confirms that Navalny has been poisoned with the banned chemical weapon Novichok. The same is confirmed by two other independent laboratories in France and Sweden, and finally by the internationally recognized Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Navalny in person while he was in hospital. Both Merkel and Macron call on Russia to investigate the matter thoroughly and to explain how the banned chemical could have entered Navalny's body. It can even be said more directly - Merkel and Macron ask Putin to meet them at least a little bit halfway: to at least show the desire to find out the "truth" so that we can keep our face and we have the opportunity not to impose new, heavier sanctions on Russia. Putin shamelessly spits at this hand of peace, ignoring calls to explain something and launch a formal investigation. What's more, the Kremlin mockingly says that you Germans must have poisoned Navalny yourself.

And now let's look at what the German Bundestag is saying about the Nordstream-2 gas pipeline project. In the first weeks after Navalny was poisoned and taken to Berlin, cautious speeches were made that after such a move by the Kremlin, Germany would have to abandon the project. However, the initial confusion and talk of "values" did not last long. Or rather, the issue of "values" continued and did not disappear, but in the best propaganda traditions of Russia's Solovyov and Germany's Goebbels everything was turned upside down. In the end, it turned out that cooperation with Putin's Russia was directly in line with these "values".

It turns out that Nordstream-2 will be equipped with modern technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint and the burden on the environment. Given Germany's abandonment of nuclear energy, Russian gas will ensure greater European energy stability. Opening the Bundestag debate, CDU/CSU MP Mark Hauptmann condemned US efforts to torpedo the building of the pipeline, at the same time recalling that even in Soviet times, Russia was a secure energy supply partner, despite ideological differences.

Social Democrat Timon Gremmels called for the gas pipeline to be used as a "bridge for a dialogue with Russia" in Chamberlain's worst traditions. Including dialogue on "human rights and LGBT discrimination". According to the Social Democrats, this gas pipeline is important not only for Germany, but for the whole of Europe, and the main obstacle to its implementation is not Navalny, but the action of the United States. The Left and Alternative for Germany parties do not see any threat to "values" from Russia at all, because Germany's main opponent is the United States.

In other words, we can talk about values, about ideals, long and hard, everywhere and always, but only when it is beneficial to us and does not affect our own materialistic interests. Do not stop us from being idealists in words and materialists in deeds. As long as the West demonstrates such hypocrisy and at the same time softness, Putin can do what he wants. Both inside and outside Russia, and the people of Russia will be on his side, because there is nothing that Russia hates more than cowardice and cowards.