Russian Leader Joins 'Dance Of Diplomacy'

It had been as carefully choreographed as the D-Day commemorations themselves. But until he showed up there was no way of knowing if Russia's president would join the dance.

The breakthrough came when Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, deftly pirouetted Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko, into meeting face to face.

This was the culmination of a plan hatched at the G7 in Brussels where the world's leaders agreed to one last attempt to persuade Mr Putin to return to the dance of diplomacy - and stop making trouble in his neighbourhood, roughing up the locals and breaking the windows in Ukraine.

A 15-minute chat between Ukraine's president-elect and Mr Putin followed the German introduction, then lunch.

French President Francois Hollande told a British veteran that he had had to use the D-Day occasion to bring the two sides of the increasingly violent Ukrainian conflict together.

Speaking in French, the British veteran asked: "Was Putin there, was he friendly?"

Mr Hollande replied: "Yes we talked to him and with President Poroshenko, we made Ukraine and Russia talk."

Mr Putin meets Petro Poroshenko and Angela Merkel in France

The veteran then asked: "Is it going to work?"

"It must work, we want this ceremony to be useful to the world. Of course we want to commemorate your fight and your voyage," the French president replied.

We also learned from the dialogue that Britain's Prince Philip had had a word with Mr Putin.

Later, the White House said President Barack Obama had also decided to engage - defrosting relations a little since February when the Russians seized the Crimea and Obama boasted the US could beat Russia in a conventional war.

The importance of the occasion and the modern role of Germany as peacemaker, while eastern Ukraine continues to suffer bloodletting, meant that this was an opportunity not to be missed.

It was a chance to engage with Mr Putin, who has been sulking about Russia's declining power for decades and reassure him that he is an important and welcome player on the international stage.

The Kremlin quickly issued a statement saying Mr Poroshenko and Mr Putin have agreed there should be a de-escalation by the Ukrainian government and "federalists" (pro-Russian militia).

This will be taken in good faith by the West and offers Mr Putin a dignified way to dial down the tension without looking put upon.

He may, though, be bluffing and gambling that none of those leaders he met in Normandy quite have the steel of their ancestors and the nerve to call him on it.

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