Sunday, 22nd February 2009
Struan Stevenson meets Prime Minister Putin
I got to the Metropol Hotel in Moscow at 02.00am after an uneventful couple of Aeroflot flights from Brussels.
I was in Moscow with the EPP-ED Presidency Delegation, made up of our French President Joseph Daul and five Vice Presidents of which I was the only UK representative. We were there to meet one of the most powerful leaders on earth, Prime Minister Vladmir Putin.
After tight security checks we were allowed to drive into the main courtyard of the White House, where the Prime Minister has his offices. The White House is a vast skyscraper relic from the Communist era, surrounded by men in black suits. Lines of black limousines with darkened windows were parked outside. It sits on the banks of the Moskva River with an imposing view across to the wedding-cake-style architecture of the State University.
After 40 minutes waiting, we were led by burly guards down imposing marble corridors, hung with grand crystal chandeliers, to a long and narrow meeting room, with ornately carved doors and windows. Our place-names had been arranged around a long conference table.
Vladimir Putin swept into the room and offered a firm hand-shake to each of us in turn. Unlike his customary press image which portrays him as un-smiling and sullen, he was smiling, tanned and fit-looking.
I was seated directly opposite him and immediately noticed his distinctive Piaget designer-watch on which, bizarrely, he had failed to adjust the date.
Putin opened discussions by saying that Russia’s trade relations with Europe were of major importance and that they had well-developed trading ties going back many decades, with the new EU accession states from Eastern Europe.
He continued “We need to broaden and deepen our relationship. But when I see what the European Parliament says about Russia my mouth falls agape! Where do they get this information?”
Having chided us in this way he continued “We are not allergic to developing healthy political and economic relations with our neighbours. We only oppose any plans to expand their military ambitions.”
I then took the opportunity to question Mr Putin about the current financial crisis, asking about the perception in Russia that Europe doesn’t want to do business; a sensitivity that is mirrored in Europe. I asked: “surely this is a false perception?”
I continued: “As a Scot, I know that we regard Russia as one of our most important markets for whisky. So we do have vital trade relations. Clearly we need to overcome these negative perceptions to improve trade for our mutual benefit at this time of deepening recession?”
Putin fixed me with his steely gaze, but his answer was direct and welcome: “Europe is our number three partner when it comes to trade. We need to remove obstacles to economic development. Some countries say ‘anyone but the Russians’ when it comes to economic links. But French, Germans and Scots are welcome in Russia to do business."
He went on to say: “The mental and political mindset of our neighbours needs to change. It is essential that we each avoid discrimination."
Turning to the recent gas crisis, which saw Russian supplies to Ukraine cut with a knock-on impact which left much of Hungary, Bulgaria and Greece shivering in the cold, Putin stated “You probably think that we shut down these pipelines deliberately to cut off supplies to Europe. This is rubbish. The EU is a good customer, pays regularly and we need the money. It was a question of blackmail."
He explained that the threat came as a result of Gazprom’s negotiations with Ukraine on gas prices and while a settlement was reached there’s fear that the next payments may not materialise. "Ukraine stole Europe's gas," he claimed.
I was left with the feeling that Putin's KGB training has turned him into a formidable political leader. While he is courteous and polite, he is clearly not a man who would suffer fools gladly. He seems keen to improve relations with the West, however and I am sure that our meeting has paved the way for this important process to continue.
An official told me afterwards that if Putin is unhappy with a meeting he will often terminate proceedings after 20 minutes. To spend one and a half hours with our delegation was, he said, remarkable.
We headed out into the Friday-evening rush-hour traffic en-route to Sheremetyevo Airport. Our aeroplane taxied out past giant, 2 metre-high snow drifts, to take off smoothly, without fuss and on-time, in conditions which would have brought Heathrow to a grinding halt.
Maybe we do have a lot to learn from our Russian neighbours?
STRUAN STEVENSON, MEP
Struan Stevenson is Vice President of the ruling EPP-ED Group of 288 MEPs in the European Parliament. He and a delegation from the Group’s Cabinet attended a high-level mission to Moscow.
