Opinion | The Kremlin once wanted Western detente. Will it seize the moment?
As the US begins rapprochement, the Russians must balance their historical ties to the West with stronger new-found partnerships
Russia has more to fear from the West. Europeans forget how Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler invaded Russia causing enormous death and destruction. An estimated 27 million Soviet citizens – mostly from Russia – died in the monumental struggle against fascism. China and Russia suffered the most during the second world war.
The Eastern Front was Germany’s primary theatre, tying down most of its soldiers and resources. Without the Red Army, the Allies would have lost the war.
Europeans and Americans also fail to appreciate how much Russians admire them. Peter the Great modernised Russia by adopting European social and political systems. He travelled across Europe to learn from the West, later adopting sweeping reforms that touched many aspects of Russian life.
Its culture followed European trends and in turn made contributions to Western civilisation. Russian aristocrats and intellectuals spoke French and many took European wives. With some Enlightenment ideals coming from France, the country’s language was seen as the language of philosophy, art and high culture. Catherine the Great, born into German royalty, promoted French as the language of the court.