Lavrov ain't got time for the kiddie table of diplomacy.
The Biden administration likes to say Russia has become isolated internationally because of its invasion of Ukraine. Yet Moscow’s top officials have hardly been cloistered in the Kremlin. And now, even the U.S. wants to talk.
President Vladimir Putin has been meeting with world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a NATO member. Meanwhile, his top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is jetting around the world, smiling, shaking hands and posing for photos with foreign leaders — including some friends of the U.S.
And on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he wants to end months of top-level U.S. diplomatic estrangement with Lavrov to discuss the release of American detainees as well as issues related to Ukraine. The call has not been scheduled but is expected in coming days.
The handshakes and phone calls cast doubt on a core part of the U.S. strategy aimed at ending the Ukraine war: that diplomatic and economic isolation, along with battlefield setbacks, would ultimately force Russia to send its troops home.
“They are going to drag this out and try to humiliate us as much as they can,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Georgia in the Obama and Trump administrations. “I don’t think it goes along with (the administration’s) overall policy.”
TASS: The United States sent a request to the Russian Federation about a telephone conversation between Lavrov and Blinken, but so far they cannot report on the timing of the conversation.
The US Secretary of State, during a conversation with the Russian Foreign Minister, wants to raise the issue of Russia’s possible plans for territories in Ukraine, the State Department said.
Lavrov will pay special attention to the request to speak with the US Secretary of State when time permits, Zakharova said.
Blinken is giving up Viktor bout for Druggie Griner. Russia is probably going to demand someone else too.
Lord of War movie getting a lot of PR these days
This news is not going to go over well in Ukraine. Hard to believe Zelensky would deliberately target his own AZOV (POW) soldiers.
Tonight, the Kyiv regime deliberately carried out a bloody provocation.
◽️The pre-trial detention center in the area of the settlement of Yelenovka, which contains Ukrainian military prisoners of war, including militants of the Azov formation, was hit by a missile attack from the American HIMARS multiple launch rocket system.
◽️40 were killed and 75 Ukrainian prisoners of war were wounded . In addition, eight employees of the isolation ward received injuries of varying severity.
◽️At present, a large number of Ukrainian servicemen voluntarily lay down their arms, knowing about the humane attitude towards prisoners of war on the Russian side.
◽️This egregious provocation was committed to intimidate Ukrainian servicemen and prevent them from being taken prisoner .
◽️The circumstances of this provocation are being investigated.
#Ministry of Defense #Russia #Ukraine @mod_russia
IL RUSSO 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺
The Ukrainian armed forces tried to destroy the captured “Azov” by opening artillery fire on the barracks where they were kept.
The Nazis fired on the Yelenovskaya penal colony. The goal was the barracks where prisoners of war were kept. More than 100 militants were injured, many killed. Kiev has apparently decided to destroy the witnesses who have begun to speak.
Operation Z: Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring The Armed Forces of Ukraine opened fire on the barracks of the Yelenovka penal colony, where Azov prisoners were kept - 40 people were killed
According to the Deputy Minister of Information of the DPR Daniil Bezsonov, tonight the Ukrainians attacked the colony in Yelenovka, where Azov prisoners were kept who laid down their arms in Mariupol. Presumably, the shelling was carried out from American HIMARS weapons.
40 people died, 130 were injured. Services are now clearing the rubble, the number of victims may increase.
“The military-political leadership of Ukraine apparently decided to get rid of unnecessary ballast, ” said Daniil Bezsonov.
t.me/RVvoenkor
Boy has this thread gone off track.
Russia is ignoring Resident Biden’s proposal for the prisoner swap. I thought it was a done deal, but apparently it was just a proposal. Biden is not getting any respect from Lavrov or Putin. They will consider the proposal when they have time... LOL
You aren’t going to see this on the news.
“administration officials are frustrated that Moscow has yet to respond in a meaningful way to the proposal. Officials told CNN that they felt Moscow would jump at the offer, but it is now almost August and they have not received a substantive response.”
My Ex won’t return my calls either.
The triviality of the western press is stunning. Maybe, just maybe, the Russians think that at the moment, there’s bigger fish to fry. ‘We’ll get back to ya. How’s your gas holding out?’
“Do you have any idea how ______ busy I am?”
If we’re going to try to isolate Russia, it makes sense for their Foreign Minister to spend his time working the field.
So, I guess, Britney is out of luck. Bummer for her.
Lavrov ain't got time for the kiddie table of diplomacy.
We should offer them LeBron James for Brittney Griner