Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas explains the basics of Russian negotiation tactics, which originates from Soviet times. This pattern was previously summarised by the former Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko: "First, demand the maximum, do not meekly ask but demand. Second, present ultimatums. Third, do not give one inch of ground because there will always be someone in the West that will offer you something maybe half that you did not previously have."