Europe is losing its geopolitical influence so quickly that it has become panic-stricken. At the same time they are masters at claiming that the West's decline is not their fault. Nor is it the fault of the self-made immigration crisis or complete disaster of the euro. No, for them it is just easier to blame Russia for everything.

The French magazine Liberté Politique has published the most creative version yet. They say Putin's 7-step strategy for the Mediterranean region has been missed. Let me elaborate on this interesting version, as, we have the materials from Liberté Politique on the screen. Let's see what they have to say.

Step 1: Crimea's reunification with Russia The French claim that the new geopolitics of the Mediterranean were initiated back in February 2014.

Step 2: Syria The Russian Ministry of Defence withdrew Russia's Air Forces while the aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, sailed around Europe before returning to its base while the Russian military remained at the Tartus and Latakia bases.

Step 3: Turkey The author describes the downing of the Russian SU-24 as a mistake that taught president Erdogan a lesson. Erdogan concluded that it is better to work with Russia rather than provoke it.

Now Russian-Turkish relations are once again on a trusting level. According to the French, in total, these achievements have given Russia the possibility to freely navigate through the Bosphorus and Dardanelle Straits. That is from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. In the open Mediterranean the Russian navy can refuel in Syria or Egypt. The French report that Putin, Egypt's president General El-Sisi and Syria's president Al-Assad's relationship is growing closer.

And this is true. In the Security Council, Egypt has switched from voting with Saudi Arabia to Russia on Syria. Moreover, Egypt has refused to support the Saudi operation in Yemen. Instead, in October last year Russian and Egyptian troops held joint military exercises. The French stress that the exercises were held not just in the east of Egypt sorry, in the west of Egypt but close to the Libyan border. To be more precise, the area controlled by General Khalifa Haftar. The EU does not recognize his legitimacy as the leader.

However, Russia builds relationships based on pragmatism, on the real state of global affairs, and the General is fighting the Islamic State like Russia. In 2016 the General visited Moscow twice and met with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu.

This was taken on January 11th of this year. Haftar was on board the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. He toured the vessel and then had a a conference call with General Shoigu. Reportedly, Haftar asked Shoigu to supply him arms to help defeat the Islamist thugs. For your information, Haftar controls this part of Libya in particular the Port of Tobruk, which is believed by the French will become a port of call for the Russian navy.

Step 6, as described by the French Russia seems intent on using Mers-el-Kébir, in Algeria. In 2013 Algeria did not allow the Russian navy to use the port and here is where the French add an absolutely exquisite point to their version. They remembered when King Mohammed VI of Morocco visited Russia in March 2016. He stated that Moscow respects Morocco’s position on the issue regarding Western Sahara. This is too much. The Western Sahara... it is here... used to be a Spanish colony which is, in fact, now controlled by Morocco.

Well, at least the King of Morocco has stated that he considers it to be his territory. What is important is that both Western Sahara and Morocco are situated on the Atlantic coast. So the French conclude that Putin's 7-step strategy goes as follows. Secure free passage through the Bosphorus and Dardanelle Straits so, as we've already said, the Russian navy can refuel in Syria and Egypt and then enter Libya, if needed, and head straight to the Atlantic ocean through Morocco, thus circumventing NATO. But this story fails considering that first, free navigation, both through the Bosphorus and Dardanelle Straits, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Atlantic ocean, are subject to international law.

So Putin doesn't have to kiss up to Turkey or Morocco as they are required to let the vessels pass. Second, the recent trip of the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov from the Arctic Circle to Syria and back proved that the Russian navy can reach its destination without having to refuel, as tankers will be able to do perform this task. In the end the French did not report on the growing power of Russia but on the internal problems that are causing the West to lose its influence geopolitically.