This is CBS Eye on the World.

Here's John Batchler.

The negotiating table, getting to the negotiating table, is the subject of a recent piece in foreign affairs by two distinguished observers of American history,

of global history, and especially the end of the Cold War, Richard Haas and his colleague Charles Coption,

publishing the West needs a new strategy in Ukraine.

And this, the article says, is a plan for getting from the battlefield to the negotiating table.

I welcome Katrina Venenov, the editorial director and publisher of the Nation magazine,

who for weeks, months has been very much focusing on exactly what this piece is identifying,

using the success of the end of the Cold War to apply it to the conflict in Ukraine before catastrophe.

Katrina, a very good evening to you.

The strategy at the end of the Cold War I learned from Mr. Haas and Mr. Coption was called 2 plus 4,

West Germany and East Germany in negotiations to end the Berlin Wall and the standoff that was most visible.

And then the four part was NATO and Russia and in between players who were not members of NATO,

discussing standing down from the edge of Armageddon for nuclear conflict,

but also for general conflict in Europe.

That was 2 plus 4. It worked over time.

It was aided by events, Mr. Gorbachev, for example, and the negotiation with Ronald Reagan,

and then with his successor, George H. W. Bush.

But the conversation that was critical inside of it was the two-part Germany to Germany.

The recommendation here is for Ukraine and Russia to talk.

Does that sound practical to you at this time? Good evening to you.

Good evening, John.

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