Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How Putin Parried Obama's Overtures on Crimea
WSJ ^ | March 19, 2014 | By JAY SOLOMON and CAROL E. LEE

Posted on 03/19/2014 9:14:50 PM PDT by Jim Robinson

Five Years After Russia 'Reset,' Ukraine Crisis Shows Limits of U.S. Approach

LONDON—U.S. officials negotiating with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the future of Ukraine were surprised last week after the experienced diplomat excused himself to phone President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

His making such a call wasn't unusual: Mr. Lavrov often sought instructions from the Kremlin leader. The Americans were stunned, however, when Mr. Lavrov reported that Mr. Putin had refused to take his call.

Coming during the final U.S. attempts to preserve the modern borders of Europe, the episode with Mr. Lavrov here last week underscored the Obama administration's inability to penetrate the Kremlin and its struggles to comprehend Mr. Putin's calculations five years after President Barack Obama decided to reset Washington's ties with Moscow. (Follow the latest developments on the crisis in Ukraine.)

Russia's rapid move this week to absorb Crimea came despite breakneck U.S. diplomatic efforts, showing the limits of that approach with Moscow and marking a renewed chill with an expansionist-minded partner still seen as vital to core American interests around the world.

The Obama administration is now left crafting a more confrontational policy toward Mr. Putin, but it remains unclear how far it will go. The inner workings of the Obama administration's diplomatic push, including Mr. Lavrov's phone call, were described by several senior U.S., European and Russian officials who were familiar with the recent negotiations.

~~big snip~~

In recent days, senior U.S. officials have begun outlining a confrontational strategy that marks a policy U-turn. Some U.S. officials have described an attempt to freeze Russian banks and companies out of the Western financial system.

Russian officials mocked the impact of the U.S. sanctions, and Mr. Lavrov threatened on Tuesday to retaliate.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: kerry; obama; putin; russia; ukraine
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last
"Mr. Kerry's close working relationship with Mr. Lavrov has dominated the diplomacy. They are an unlikely pair: a Vietnam War veteran who sailboards and a chain-smoking Soviet-schooled bureaucrat known for sharp suits and wry humor."

John F'n Kerry did serve in Vietnam./

1 posted on 03/19/2014 9:14:51 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Jim Robinson
John F'n Kerry did serve in Vietnam./

I applaud the sarcasm! and respond with, the only thing Kerry served in Vietnam was himself enough illegitimate Purple Hearts to get his sorry burro home so he could slander actual American soldiers.

2 posted on 03/19/2014 9:20:50 PM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mastador1

Wait a minute, you’re telling me John Kerry was in Vietnam?

Why doesn’t anyone tell me these things?


3 posted on 03/19/2014 9:22:30 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jim Robinson

He’s not a professional diplomat but a politician who parachuted into the State Department. He’s no match for someone like Sergei Lavrov who has served almost all his life in various roles in the Soviet and later Russian diplomatic service. John Kerry appears to be constantly surprised by the realities of world affairs and his notoriously thin skin makes it difficult for him to work together with people who do not have a high estimation of him.


4 posted on 03/19/2014 9:23:04 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

or elect Obama and his know nothing run the free world

5 posted on 03/19/2014 9:28:10 PM PDT by scooby321
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator
Wait a minute, you’re telling me John Kerry was in Vietnam?

Why doesn’t anyone tell me these things?

Hey don't forget Christmas in Cambodia and other fantasy tales by J. F'n. Kerry located in the fantasy section of his mind. You wont have any trouble finding the fantasy section it covers all the real estate between his ears.

6 posted on 03/19/2014 9:31:35 PM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: scooby321
BBBut Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize!

Foot Notes to Obama:

1) Call Poland and the Czeck Republic and say Missile Defense is back on;
2) Send the 101st Airborne on “vacation” to Estonia;
3) Start an Arms Air Lift to the Ukraine;
4) Put the 82nd Airborne on “vacation” standby just incase Putin mentions another NATO country in his sleep;
5) Finally, invite the Russian Ambassador to a Vodka drink off at the WH.

That my dear is how you play hardball.

7 posted on 03/19/2014 9:35:31 PM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: scooby321

He really believes if you’re polite to the bad guys, they’ll embrace you. All his life he’s carried with him the attitude America is not a force for good but the greatest source of evil on the planet. He has no idea how to project American strength in his dealings with foreign countries.


8 posted on 03/19/2014 9:35:52 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Jim Robinson

For the first time in my life I am surprised to see myself admiring a Russian leader far more than my own supposed leader . I almost find myself glad when he outwits and out manuvers Obama , again and again . Am I wrong ?
Am I sick ? Is this dangerous ground ? What a sad state of affairs....


9 posted on 03/19/2014 9:36:17 PM PDT by LeoWindhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Chgogal

Sadly, that is not Obama. He is no JFK at Berlin.


10 posted on 03/19/2014 9:37:11 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Jim Robinson

Obama outsourcing the US interests in the Middle East to Russia reminds me of the brilliance of Borders outsourcing their online book sales to Amazon.com...


11 posted on 03/19/2014 9:41:24 PM PDT by paudio (Liberals teach Whites about guilt and shame much better than Christian churches do...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LeoWindhorse

No, I do not think so.

Firstly, I’d say that it is basically a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend, although of course, Putin is not our friend.

I would be very curious to see a poll, however, asking Americans whom do you have more respect for, Obama or Putin?


12 posted on 03/19/2014 9:42:56 PM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: LeoWindhorse

I find myself amused in some sad sick way. Obama is a joke, A bad joke. America will recover (with a good leader) but it’ll take some doing.


13 posted on 03/19/2014 9:45:45 PM PDT by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: LeoWindhorse
You are not alone.

I am praying for Ted Cruz - I am so tired of having a complete idiot as a representative to the world.

14 posted on 03/19/2014 9:46:22 PM PDT by MarMema (Run Ted Run)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

Obama is an faux educated slow learner and sadly, the Free World will rue the day that he was Leader of the Free World.


15 posted on 03/19/2014 9:49:59 PM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Jim Robinson
Putin: A man with a plan.

0bama: Making it up as he goes.

16 posted on 03/19/2014 9:55:54 PM PDT by clintonh8r (Don't twerk me, Bro!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jim Robinson

Such gullibility.

Of course Putin would take his call, but Lavrov reported that Putin wouldn’t take his call, as a bargaining tactic.


17 posted on 03/19/2014 9:56:54 PM PDT by LowTaxesEqualsProsperity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LowTaxesEqualsProsperity

It’s called “good cop, bad cop”.


18 posted on 03/19/2014 9:58:11 PM PDT by LowTaxesEqualsProsperity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Chgogal

Your comment presupposes that ‘the freer world’, namely America, actually chose the little bastard boy and the election was legitimate. Tisk tisk tisk


19 posted on 03/19/2014 9:59:05 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
Obama is a faux educated slow learner and sadly, the Free World will rue the day that he was Leader of the Free World.

Where in the above sentence is there a mention of “election”, “legitimate” or “chose”? : )

20 posted on 03/19/2014 10:08:08 PM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson