Dr Bruno Surdel, a senior fellow at CIR, writes in the Orissa Post, India: “From New Delhi’s perspective, Europe’s contest over Russia diplomacy carries several lessons and potential leverage points. First, Europe’s determination to maintain sanctions and deterrence, sometimes despite US diplomacy, shows that soft power and economic tools matter. India, too, must consider how trade, finance and norms can be part of a strategic posture. Second, Polish insistence on both the strategic alliance with Washington and the European capabilities offers a model: Warsaw does not depend entirely on US grand bargains but builds capacity and voice within multilateral systems. Third, in times when superpowers negotiate, regional actors become critical—Europe is pushing its own agenda even as at times, President Trump courts Putin. India, in Asia’s relations with China and other powers, should aim to be that agenda shaper. In the end, President Trump’s preference for deals over principles serves as a reminder to democracies everywhere. Poland’s stance in this regard remains firm and articulate, both a warning and an example in a world where diplomacy itself can be rewritten overnight”.
