From 15-16 December Russian president Vladimir Putin will visit Japan. High on the agenda are talks with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe on the status of the Kuril Islands, a group of islands annexed by the Soviet Union in the dying days of World War II. In the run-up to the summit Abe has been pleading for a new approach to the island dispute in which he would host Putin in a hot springs resort of his home prefecture of Yamaguchi. The idea is that the ‘onsen’, as these hot springs are called, will soften up Putin’s mood leading to a territorial settlement favourable to Japan.
Two grown up men in a hot tub discussing world affairs, what’s not to like? That, according to Abe at least, is the idea. In an ominous sign that Putin has no intention of being ‘softened up’ however is his positioning of advanced anti-ship missiles on the islands. At the end of the day, no matter how hot the tub will be, Abe is unlikely to get what he is bargaining for. Europe’s leaders would be wise to take a cue from Abe’s failing jacuzzi diplomacy in the making when they plead for a new arms-control agreement with Russia writes Sijbren de Jong in his latest column for Euobserver.
The full article can be read here.
The article was also featured by the Kyiv Post.
Photo credit: Speaker resources via Foter.com / CC BY
Experts
Related Content
