US Secretary of State John Kerry for the first two years, paid a visit to Russia and met first with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and then with President Vladimir Putin. The central theme of the talks was the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. As expected, the breakthrough did not happen, but the fact of the meeting, experts believe it is important.
Vladimir Putin meets with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, lasted four hours. Part of the meeting, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, was held in an informal atmosphere, Putin even suggested Kerry try Crimean “Divnomorskoe” wine. Carrie gave Putin greetings from Barack Obama.
The negotiations were long, open and friendly enough. In the Kremlin, Putin’s regard contact with Kerry as a positive, although it is not a breakthrough, the first signs of understanding that the two great countries should re-engage, said Ushakov.
The central theme of the talks was the expected Ukraine, which was discussed in great detail, including various options for working closely on a bilateral level the United States and Russia. At the same time, according to Ushakov, the question of the bilateral meeting between Putin and Obama was not raised in the negotiations, and connectivity to the US, “Norman format” is not discussed.
Sanctions and Poroshenko
Following the meeting, Russia and the United States have agreed to have an impact on the Ukrainian side of the conflict to resolve it, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: “… in order to consistently strongly encouraged them to seek and reach an agreement on the practical implementation of all of what agreed in Minsk. ”
«We have not all agreed in the estimates of the negotiations, but this meeting has allowed a better understanding of each other. We have an understanding of the need to avoid measures which can cause long-term harm to bilateral relations between Russia and the United States and cooperation between our countries in various fields, “- said Lavrov.
After the talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry is going to contact the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, to tell him about the outcome of the meeting and called for the implementation of the Minsk agreements:
«I had a short conversation yesterday with President Poroshenko. I’m going to call him again, to tell him about today’s meeting. And I call it, just as I call on the Russian side to fully implement the agreements Minsk “- Kerry said at a press conference after the talks in Sochi.
US Secretary of State also commented on the statement of Poroshenko that the Donetsk airport will be recaptured by the separatists: “I have not had the opportunity to read the speech, and I have not seen another context, but I heard about it today. If indeed the President Poroshenko advocates to begin now, some police operations, we have asked him to think twice before taking such action, because the Minsk agreement then will be under serious threat. ” According to him, the United States will be “very concerned about the possible results of such actions.”
Lavrov, in turn, said that “Kerry agreed with statements regarding the dangers of any attempt to return to the force scenario.” The Russian minister also said that the US and Russia are united in the opinion of the immutability of the implementation of agreements in Minsk: “We have agreed today that the meeting with all on whom the fulfillment of the Minsk agreements in any of their section, we will beat at one point – that all what is written in a document dated 12 February, it is necessary to carry out faithfully and loyally. ”
US Secretary of State John Kerry said, and an important issue for Moscow lifting the sanctions the US and EU to Russia: “If and when fully implemented, these agreements are, it is quite clear that the start time the lifting of sanctions the United States and the European Union ».
« Wonderful “talks Kerry and Lavrov
Before the meeting at the presidential residence” Bocharov Stream “Lavrov and Kerry held separate talks. Shortly before the Russian minister and US Secretary of State laid flowers at the memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. Lavrov gave Kerry Krasnodar tomatoes and potatoes (an allusion to the last gift from Kerry as Idaho potatoes), as well as T-shirts Victory, said on facebook deputy director of the Information Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova. According to her, in response to “the head of the State Department gave the Russian side a list of citations to Russian media, in his view, does not reflect the real potential of large-scale US-Russian relations, which, in his opinion, need to be improved.” But the American side has hastened to deny these words: “Maria Zakharova, perhaps confused gifts. This gift from Kerry – portfolio “- tweeted the press-secretary of the US embassy in Moscow Will Stevens.
At the very same meeting, in addition to Ukraine, Lavrov and Kerry exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East. In particular, the need to launch a full-scale dialogue between official Damascus and the opposition. They discussed the threat of seizure of the territory of Syria, Iraq and Libya a terrorist group LIH. Lavrov urged the United States to abandon double standards against terrorists and cited the example of Yemen, where “the internal armed conflict was imposed external military impact.”
statement on the results were more than concise. “It is important to maintain the link between the US and Russia open at the time, we are addressing urgent global problems,” – commented on the meeting US Secretary of State. Asked about how the talks were held, Lavrov said: “Wonderful».
Parties “measured the degree»
The last time John Kerry was in Russia in May 2013 the year when the Kremlin sheltered fugitive NSA and CIA analyst Edward Snowden. His current visit took place shortly after the Victory Parade on May 9 unanimously ignored that Western leaders, and soon May 10 German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who Russia subjected to harsh criticism , noting that the cease-fire in eastern Ukraine has not come.
A leading expert IMEMO Alexei Arbatov believes that the visits Angela Merkel on May 10 in Moscow and Kerry current visit in Sochi “is not related to each other.”
«Merkel came to Moscow to express regret over the role played by Germany in World War II. A visit to the war Kerry, the anniversary of the Victory in no way connected. Apparently, in Washington, it was decided to establish relations with Russia during the remainder of his presidency at least in those areas where the two countries have a common interest: for example, the possible interaction in the fight against LIH “, – the expert believes.
The process of Ukrainian settlement, he said, has reached an impasse, “Implementation of the Minsk Agreement is not moving, a fragile truce in the Donbas. We need additional measures (to resolve the situation), and the United States, apparently decided that the anti-Russian sanctions is not enough, we need more consultation and action. ”
For Moscow, says Arbatov, consultations with the United States is not quite convenient, “but if we can negotiate with them, the peace process in Ukraine may get an additional boost.”
The expert of the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies Vladimir Bruter opposite’m sure Kerry visits Merkel and linked to each other: “They (US and Germany) are between a constant competition for priority in the negotiations with Moscow. I think that even the tough stance that Merkel announced at a press briefing after the talks (with Putin), in particular due to the fact that she is aware of the presence in Washington of some new proposals. ”
The expert stressed that productive not talk about the differences in the positions of Kerry and Merkel, and the differences in opportunities for bargaining. “The first – is the presence of an individual approach, the West is considered to be a highlight. The second – is not accidental Merkel sharpened attention on this – it’s about recognizing the status of Crimea. It is evident that the division of questions on the status of Crimea and the format of the Minsk – a very important question, and if Germany can not fully provide this, the United States can. And the third: Germany can not completely stop the military operations in the east of Ukraine, and the United States can. ”
«Lips Pushilin Russia stands for the integration of the DNI and the LC in Ukraine, it is not by chance was again perezayavleno right now – is the starting position of Moscow on the current negotiations. Start position of Americans – you leave Crimea singled out, and then we talk more, “- says Bruter.
Given the very different starting position of the parties, no breakthrough, no one expected. But this “froze degrees”, and informal dialogue better than nothing, commented Alexei Malashenko of the Carnegie Moscow Center.
According to experts, the exchange of gifts says that between Kerry and Lavrov held a frank dialogue could: “There are two people who understand what is happening. They conflict with all relationships are trying anything to save. ”
After a short stop in Russia, the Secretary of State will travel to Turkey for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. Then he returns to Washington for the Council of Arab Gulf states, which will be held at the residence of President Barack Obama at Camp David.
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