THE NEED FOR AN OPEN, FRANK, CRITICAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE WITH RUSSIA

From Washington to Brussels to Moscow these days many are talking about the need for the rejuvenation of a constructive dialogue with Russia including social dialogue, developing people-to-people contacts, cultural cooperation and rebuilding bilateral economic relations. All of a sudden, people are discovering that Russia belongs to Europe, that many political, social and economic challenges in Europe can only be met together with Russia, that it is essential for Russia and the other countries of Europe to continue the path of rapprochement and reconciliation in the context of the historical experiences of the 20th century. The goal of this dialogue is both to identify different perspectives and also to identify similarities, to strengthen actors in politics and society who are prepared to build bridges across borders and divides between cultures.  

For such a dialogue to be initiated the West needs a strategic communication plan with a positive agenda addressed to Russians. The messages and the messengers must address the concerns and interests of real people. As far as mainland Russia is concerned, the EU must develop a simple and consistent positive agenda: ordinary Russians are  neighbors who are welcome to trade, visit, learn, teach and exchange. The EU should have a much broader conversation with the groups in Russia that are concerned about ties and relations with the West. There are many ways of communicating with Russians without communicating necessarily with the Russian government or the Russian elite.

Admittedly, the decline in Russian studies has resulted  in a decline in analysis and understanding of Russian social and political discourse and prevented the West to design a clear communication strategy. Neither Europe nor the US has managed to communicate effectively to Russia or to people of Russia.

What the EU needs is its own positive agenda that has clear humane goals, that insists on mutually accepted principles and values and projects a benefit of peaceful, friendly co-existence on the continent.

When one wants to establish a dialogue with another nation, one must speak about the issues that really concern the audience. The communicator has to be deeply involved in the Russian issues and must possess good knowledge of cultural and historical issues that exist between Russia and the EU. A genuine dialogue should extend far beyond the main agenda to cover values, assumptions, and aspirations for two nations. It requires the establishment of enough trust and mutual understanding. When dialogue is done skillfully, the results can be extraordinary: long-standing stereotypes dissolved, mistrust overcome, mutual understanding achieved, visions shaped and grounded in shared purpose, people previously at odds with one another aligned on objectives and strategies, new common ground discovered, new perspectives and insights gained, new levels of creativity stimulated, and bonds of community strengthened.

To speak with Russians, Western politicians must first understand what Russians want to hear from them. They should be determined and brave, and formal.