What was she thinking?

Yulia Tymoshenko, the Ukrainian prime minister, recently published an op-ed piece on the Web site of the British newspaper The Guardian, telling the Brits… that they should look to France for leadership in the European Union.

It starts:

“Since the end of the first world war, France has consistently risen to the challenge of restructuring Europe in times of crisis... If we are to see a stronger Europe emerge from today's challenges, visionary French leadership is needed again.”

And ends:

“As at so many times before, now — with all of our economies in peril — is a moment for decisive French leadership.”

What seems to be a sincere call for French action, and a warning against French isolationism (on the eve of a meeting with the French leadership) seems to have gone a bit astray, to say the least. Telling the Brits, in a British newspaper, that they should look to their rivals across the channel for leadership has struck a few nerves.

Brits are known for their sense of humor, as well as their French-bashing and Euro-bashing sentiments (even in a liberal newspaper like the Guardian). Both are in excellent display in the comment space below Tymoshenko’s piece. Even if you don’t agree with some of the British-centric views, read it anyways. I assure you you’ll get a good laugh. Just an example:

“I assume that you were writing two articles for two newspapers but got them mixed up. Where's the article saying that "we need British leadership" gone? La Figaro?

They'll love that.”

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/russia-and-its-neighbors/090322/what-was-she-thinking