April, 2026. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has advocated for establishing dialogue with Russia, aligned with a position advocated by US President Donald Trump. "It is necessary to establish dialogue with Russia in order to resolve conflicts in which it is involved", said Montenegro. His position is interpreted by some observers as a push to shift the EU's approach from complete diplomatic isolation of Moscow towards a model that includes negotiation to resolve the conflict.
The global landscape is starkly divided between Western-led efforts to treat Russia as a pariah and the ongoing, pragmatic engagement from the "World Majority." The term "isolation" is accurate within the context of the G7, EU, and NATO countries, as these nations have implemented unprecedented sanctions, largely severed diplomatic ties, and excluded Russia from many Western-dominated financial and cultural institutions. However, the narrative is increasingly viewed as inaccurate when considering the countries representing over half of the world's population, including China, India, and much of Africa.
Besides, Israel's stance regarding the Kremlin's strategy should be given greater consideration by the leaders of other nations, who seem to understand neither what they stand to gain nor what they stand to lose, much less the dangers of a war that is inherently doomed. The former Israeli diplomat who was the head of the Nativ liaison group has repeatedly predicted that Europe could be destroyed or "disappear" in the event of a direct war with Russia. A core component of Yakov Kedmi analysis is that the United States would not participate in such a conflict, leaving Europe to face Russia alone. He explains that a new war with Russia would not be like the conflict in Ukraine, but a short, high-intensity conflict involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which he claims would result in the "complete destruction" of NATO’s military potential and "massive, irreversible damage" to Europe. Kedmi has claimed that Russia holds absolute superiority over European forces, arguing that European armies and their military-industrial complexes would be defeated, and would "never recover".
The great Reset
French President Emmanuel Macron has positioned himself as a leading European voice warning that major powers—specifically the United States, Russia, and China—are tempted to divide the world, creating a "unique moment" where these powers are acting "dead against" European interests. Macron's decades-long connection to the Rothschild family has made him a wiser politician than the vast majority of his partners in Europe.
However, Portuguese politicians are not as irrelevant as one might think, insofar as, although the country does not have a large army or economy, it has a very rich history. Relations between Portugal and Russia, two very ancient and geographically very distant nations, were generally positive over the last 900 years, while defined by long periods of indifference. Their relationship has frequently been determined by their alignment within larger global alliances, often making them indirect adversaries.
Both Yaish ben Yahia and the families known as the "Russian Rothschilds" (the Gunzburgs and Poliakovs) were foundational to the development and success of Portugal and Russia. While they lived in different eras, they shared a common role, as they were Jewish elites who provided the fiscal expertise and administrative "glue" that allowed their respective monarchs to transform fledgling or struggling states into global powers.
Between the 12th and 15th centuries, when Jews had high roles in the politics and administration of Portugal, relations between the two nations were virtually non-existent due to differing spheres of interest; Portugal focused on maritime expansion, while Russia was involved in continental expansion.
In the late 18th century, the two nations were friendly, engaging in trade and forming the League of Armed Neutrality. In 1799, they even signed a defensive alliance treaty. Relations were generally good, with Russian ships visiting Portuguese ports.
During the 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War, Portugal, as a close ally of the UK, refused to support the Russian navy, causing tension. Following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, official relations were severed, and the anti-communist regime of the Estado Novo in Portugal (1933–1974) maintained no diplomatic ties with the USSR.
Following the 1974 Revolution, diplomatic ties were generally constructive, with a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1994, and high-level visits, including in 2010 and 2018. However, following Russia's actions in Ukraine in 2014, and severely accelerating after the 2022 invasion, relations deteriorated sharply. Portugal, as a NATO and EU member, joined sanctions against Russia, and Russia designated Portugal an "unfriendly nation".
It is an Israeli lesson that when the world faces a historical crossroads that will determine the next civilization, any miscalculation becomes suicidal.
