The text was originally published in Russia Beyond the Headlines
Negotiations on the fate of the Russian humanitarian convoy of nearly 300 trucks, which has already been on the Russo-Ukrainian border for nearly a week, are drawing to a close. The sides have agreed on all issues related to customs clearances, and observers have not found any weaponry at all in the trucks.
According to Red Cross spokeswoman Viktoria Zotikova, the only thing that remains is to obtain security guarantees from both sides, and the relevant direct negotiations are currently taking place.
Zotikova declined to comment on the course of negotiations and emerging complexities. However, according to unofficial sources, the problem is on the Ukrainian side, or rather it is in the subdivisions of the National Guard made up of nationalist irregulars, who do not always obey the official authorities.
The Ukrainian military located in the cauldron south of Lugansk controls part of the road from the Izvarino border crossing to the capital of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic and is fully capable of attacking the convoy (militiamen warned several days ago that the Aydar National Guard battalion had been given the order to attack the convoy).
However, it is possible that this obstacle will be removed in the near future - either by negotiation or force. At the moment, militiamen are actively engaged in liquidating the cauldron and the only reason they have not yet been able to eradicate it is because one of the most combat-ready units in the Ukrainian army, the Lvov 80th airmobile brigade, is located in it alongside the Aydar battalion.
Meanwhile, some experts believe that the successful passage of such a large humanitarian convoy could hand Russia the trump card and, possibly, contribute to the end of the civil war.
Sergei Markedonov, a Russian political scientist and specialist on post-Soviet space, told an RBTH correspondent that “if the convoy reaches its destination, it will turn out that the ‘bloody Putin regime’ is taking more care of the Ukrainian citizens than Kiev. This is already creating discomfort for President Petro Poroshenko.”
From the political point of view, the convoy strengthens Russia's bargaining position. Moscow is now trying to persuade Poroshenko towards the beginning of a negotiation process and the federalization of Ukraine - steps which could not only end the war but give neutral status to Ukraine (in which anti-Russian sentiments in the west will be balanced by the pro-Russian forces in the east).
And Moscow's key argument is that there is a humanitarian catastrophe in the Donbass that the actions of the Ukrainian army (which failed in its execution of a blitzkrieg and has been drawn into positional battles using artillery) is only exacerbating.
However, first Russia must prove to the world that it is a fact that there is a humanitarian catastrophe.
Finally, the successful passage of the humanitarian convoy will play in the favor of those forces within the European Union that advocate a compromise with Russia.
"The European countries are no less interested than Russia in resolving this conflict as soon as possible. However, trapped between Washington and Moscow, they are in an extremely difficult political position and, especially after the incident with the Malaysian Boeing, are in need of additional arguments," Timofei Bordachev, director of the Center for Comprehensive International and European Studies at the Higher School of Economics, told RBTH.
But while the debate on what candidate’s policies and worldview may be more preferable for Russia continues, the overwhelming majority of the Russian political elite and expert community agree upon two things. First, the relationship in the White House is not one hundred percent defined by the person in the Oval Office. Second, since the current crisis between the two states has more profound roots and a long record of mutual grievances the relationship is unlikely to improve--while there’s plenty of potential for its deterioration.
The United States is backpedaling – reducing the range of tasks, gathering the resources of its allies, separating the timeframes for reaching its goals. An authentic review of the priorities of American policy will occur if and when the resources of adaptation strategy are exhausted.
Russian-Iranian relations have a much longer history and in many ways a more nuanced agenda. But if one would coin a concise definition for their current dealings, it could easily be "compelled adversaries, pragmatic pals."
Despite much media talk before the summit about Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's promise to "shirtfront" (knock down) the Russian president over Moscow's alleged role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July, Putin had positive comments about the summit in Brisbane.
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