"All the king's horses and all the kings men couldn't put the West togather again". Adios amigos.

When Europe musters the guts to pursue its own interests, then she will occasionally turn her eyes toward the East and not be fixated on the transatlantic West. Unless and until Europe welcomes Russia in a new paradigm of cooperation and frienship, buries the aggressive and anachronistic NATO once and for all, and works with the rest of the world in a harmonious relationship, its economy will sink further and Euro's future will remain doubtful. Listen to Russia, Europe!!!

Absolutely, only balanced measures can help, like a bomb on each wing - just kidding:-) But seriously armne08 is correct. Europe must stand on its own feet and recognise that the US is a competitor and not a bossom buddy. The direct US attacks on the Euro and the European economy are a direct result of the Euro becoming more and more used as a reserve currency. Basically year on year dollar use was falling and Euro use was rising, we were crossing the 30% last year, and that level and trend, threatened the dollar. The whole US strategy, is based on a dollar world reserve currency, so they have limitless supply coupled with a global debt instrument owed to the elite. So now there is an interesting situation, the EU would like to continue on its path to be an equal to the US, however the US ain't going to let that happen, and thus is conducting financial warfare on Europe behind the scenes. Russia would also like to see Europe prosper and generate a dollar alternative. Whilst at the same time providing an economic growth vehicle in terms of markets. So now Russia and the EU are more aligned on common goals. But it is more complicated than that. In allignement terms it would make sense for Russia to support the Euro, and allow the EU to rise up, however the truth is that the Euro economy is a train wreck, based on high taxation,welfare, Germany paying most and the rest of old Europe coming up with the rest. So balance is indeed needed. Russia needs Europe to reform its economy, to get debt to appropriate levels, to get people in real work, with real wealth and provide lower taxation. The days of lifestyle based on a credit card are over for the EU. Then Russia can help more with supporting the Euro and allowing it to regain its momentum in the rise to be an equal reserve currency. But the debt levels are critical; too high and they will be under total control and they will have lost the war. Too low and there will be unrest.

Relations between nations and states are first and foremost about interests and not about personalities. The idea that Obama and Medvedev are blackberry loving friends is good for the PR spin doctors but we need to stick to the real issues at hand. San Francisco’s the Silicon valley of today is not the same what it was 10 year ago. Many of its founders are fleeing to India and there are other emerging silicon valley around the Global South, and in other parts in the global north such as Germany. Still the two nations, Russia and the U.S, can share lot of ideas in so many spheres. However, it is important to go easy on the hype of the personality cult.