"The Small Seven"

According to the correspondent of The Moscow Post, the first day of the G-7 summit (G7) ended in London. The main topics were not the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, not the difficult economic situation and the fight against terrorism and climate change, but the geopolitical confrontation between the "democratic world" of Russia and China.

It was difficult to expect another focus for the summit, which Great Britain has the chairmanship this year. It is significant that this is the first meeting of G7 in almost two years. During this time, many events occurred, including the dramatic events of January 2021 in Washington, not against the backdrop of a change in the American administration.

Meanwhile, the Biden team's approaches to the most important geopolitical issues in relations with the Russian Federation and China are not completely clear. The United States remains the main geopolitical center and key country of G7. But the influence and status of the world and military hegemon are leaving, while Biden himself and his team demonstrate amazing political (neurotic?) Ambivalence.

On the one hand, the policy of pressure on the PRC and the Russian Federation, the introduction of new sanctions and the strengthening of the military presence in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region continues. On the other hand, the United States is well aware that the world is changing, and both China and the Russian Federation will have to negotiate. This is evidenced by Shatov's position on extending the agreement on the deployment of medium and short-range missiles, as well as the invitation of President Vladimir Putin to a dialogue - a bilateral meeting of the leaders of the two countries.

Meanwhile, the meeting, which was supposed to take place in the near future, so far seems ephemeral. The reason is the same ambivalence, or two-track, as it is called in the USA itself. Recently, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov gave an extensive interview in the Big Game program on Channel One, where he outlined this problem.

According to Mr. Peskov, due to the difference in signals from Washington, it is more difficult for the Kremlin to analyze and determine the motives of the United States. On the one hand, Biden calls Putin and invites him to dialogue, on the other hand, he imposes sanctions. Meanwhile, there is a topic on which the position of the Biden administration is extremely clear - the rapprochement between Russia and China there is considered a threat.

As Dmitry Peskov said, Western countries do not want to perceive Russia's desire to be with other countries in good relations: "For some reason, they stubbornly do not want to hear this first part and the main message of President Putin (in a message to the Federal Assembly, approx. Editors) neither in Washington, nor in Brussels, nor in European capitals."

Dmitry Peskov spoke about the situation in the context of new baseless accusations against Russia. This time - from the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, who "suddenly" discovered a "Russian trace" in explosions in warehouses with weapons. It is easy to guess that small European democracies themselves would hardly have decided on such a step. Most likely, they were advised to "shoot themselves in the foot" in Washington and London?

Meanwhile, the recent increase in military tensions on the border with Ukraine also influenced the agenda of Seven members. Then, recall, the armed forces of Ukraine concentrated large forces on the direction of the unrecognized LPR and DPR.

After the Russian Federation approached the border, the violent heads cooled. But earlier, the foreign ministers of the countries included in the G7 demanded that Russia stop "provocations" at the borders of Ukraine and "comply with obligations regarding the transparency of the movement of military forces." That is, NATO exercises at the borders of Russia are exercises, and the movements and exercises of the Russian Federation on its territory are aggressive actions? However, the essence is not quite in Ukraine.

The essence is the island of Taiwan, which for the inhabitants of China is the same as for Russia is Crimea. The only difference is that Taiwan is an economically and technologically advanced state. The dream of returning Taiwan to Chinese control has existed for a long time, and after the events in Nagorno-Karabakh, there was talk that this country could resolve the situation militarily.

Given this, on the eve of the coordinator for the Indian and Pacific Oceans regions at the National Security Council (NSC) under the White House, Kurt Campbell, expressed the opinion that maintaining the status quo for Taiwan is in the interests of both Washington and Beijing.

The American official added that any conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan is unlikely to be limited to a small area in terms of geography. "I think it will quickly expand and thoroughly destroy the global economy in a way that, I believe, no one can predict," Campbell quoted TASS as saying.

In this context, during the first day of the G-7 summit, it became known that the United States is seeking to develop a joint consultative mechanism with the Group of Seven countries on policy towards China. The proposal was before the Group's foreign ministers at yesterday's plenary meeting in London.

The essence is simple - the United States seeks to drive other members of the Seven into the fairway of its anti-China policy, who are not at all willing to enter into confrontation with China and prefer to pursue an independent policy. Something similar is observed in the case of the Russian Federation in relation to sanctions. There is Eurosolidarity, but not everywhere and not to the end. An example is the Nord Stream-2 project, which no one wants to stop for the geopolitical interests of the United States and NATO.

We will have to negotiate

A separate topic in the discussion of Seven's relations with China and the Russian Federation was to be the nuclear problem of Iran and the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. The latter should be the final of a 20-year senseless military campaign, the victims of which were tens, and maybe hundreds of thousands, of Afghan residents. Until now, no one can name the exact numbers.

The reduction in military presence also fits into the ambivalent nature of US foreign policy actions. Yesterday's hegemon is completely unprofitable to continue to invest forces and resources in Afghanistan. On the other hand, the reduction of military presence in the Middle East allegedly unleashes the hands of Russia, China, Turkey and the same Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran recently concluded a multi-year strategic cooperation agreement with China, which involves the supply of oil from this country. At the same time, China receives 25% of all oil from Iran - this is the key geopolitical interest of the United States in containing Iran. In fact, the goal is to weaken China and cut it off from energy supply markets. Today it is clear that this policy has completely failed.

Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran. Today, Biden seeks to return to the negotiating table, because another option involves further rapprochement between Iran and China and the Russian Federation. From the same positions, the United States proceeds in relations with the Russian Federation.

The policy of deterrence and sanctions pressure, launched under Barack Obama, leads to nothing but a rapprochement of the main geopolitical competitors of the States. The Biden administration understands that without the Russian Federation it is neither possible to solve the problem of Iran, nor to finish the settlement in Syria and Libya. So it will be necessary to negotiate with Russia - and here Biden needs to act as a united front with G7. Hence, based on America's interests, and the key theme of the first day of the G-7 summit.