The “return to Europe” may be a call to the US to adopt the “soft” European world view, instead of of the American hard line. The premise “The United States is an integral part of European civilization” may be a friendly gesture to make the following critic easier to swallow.

Lavrov is talking to a country ruthlessly following its interests under a thick cloak of self righteousness and hypocrisy. As a good diplomat he tries to pierce this armor with soft words before saying the US must change its ways and become “part of the whole”, the human family.

Will the US listen to a world power that had learned the value of friendship and of being humane? Maybe if the economic crisis will hit it hard enough.