In the oval office of the White house has begun talks with U.S. President Donald trump with the Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The meeting is closed to the press. The main topic of discussion is expected to be the situation in Syria. The President of the United States, according to experts and analysts, wants to clarify the details of the Russian plan for the establishment in Syria of four zones of de-escalation of the conflict. Because of confidence in the actions of the Kremlin, which continues to support the Assad regime weapons and equipment, no. Certainly, the meeting with Lavrov trump will rise and the Ukrainian question, which today has managed to discuss with Lavrov Tillerson. I wonder what the future of the implementation of the Minsk agreements discussed on the background of statements of the head of the Ukrainian foreign Ministry Pavel klimkina about a possible United States accession to the “channel format”. Washington has not confirmed it, nor denied. However, probably with the response of the States will wait until France and Germany the elections are over.
Syria as a stumbling block. “Tolerance is the cornerstone of peace”, recalls the words of Donald trump in his blog for “Today”, Ambassador extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Sergey Korsun. Obviously, this tolerance the U.S. President and the Secretary of state will try to prove during today’s talks with Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, though, according to experts, the symbolism in this meeting is not to look.
“This is the second round. Tillerson was already in Moscow (April 12 – Ed.) met with Russian leaders (including Putin – Ed.) therefore, the meeting trump and Tillerson with Lavrov kind of retaliatory step,” – said the “Today” co-Director of foreign policy programmes and international security of the Razumkov Center Mykhailo Pashkov.
But it is noteworthy that the negotiations come amid the publication of Fox News (which is considered loyal to “the Republicans”, and trump likes to put it as an example to other media) that the day before Lavrov’s visit to Washington Russia sent to Syria artillery. According to sources the channel a month after the missile attack of the US on the Syrian air base, Russia through the southern port city of Tartus delivered to Syria 21 howitzer M-30. Also, according to Fox News, the expected delivery of Russian missiles SA-21 for the air defense system s-400.
“Russia has a choice to make: either you continue to support Bashar al-Assad, or work with the US and its allies to work together to find a solution to the problem in Syria,” said Rex Tillerson on the eve of his visit to Moscow in mid-April.
Obviously, the Kremlin upped the ante in negotiations with the United States. Given that just before the meeting with Lavrov trump Tillerson and Vladimir Putin in Moscow held a meeting of the security Council on the question of Russian-American relations. In details, the press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov did not elaborate. But it’s not hard to assume that it was the plan of the Kremlin to resolve the situation in Syria. As is known, during the last round of negotiations in Astana, the sides of Turkey and Iran supported the Russian plan for the establishment in Syria of four zones of de-escalation of the conflict. And after that Putin, in fact, set trump before the fact during telephone conversations on may 2 stating that all supported a Russian plan for Syria.
“Lavrov is trying to convince Tillerson and trump support the agreement on the four demilitarized zones. The head of the state Department before you give any hint of support for the initiative will be to clarify points in the plan that concern US – how to ensure the divorce of the parties against the background of the unwillingness of the Syrian government to accept the assistance of the United Nations, will speak against the role of Iran as a possible guarantor of demarcation on the ground”, – said the “Today” analyst of the Institute of world politics Nicholas Beleskov.
The “Normandy format” as a trump card USA. It is obvious that Lavrov at the meeting with Tillerson, and with the trump discussed possible future meetings at the highest level. A couple of weeks ago Russian media reported that such could take place in late may. But experts predict that, most likely, trump’s meeting with Putin will take place in the beginning of July on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg. And Ukraine, of course, is making every effort to Petro Poroshenko met with Donald trump before trump with Putin. During his third visit to Washington over the past couple of months, the head of the Ukrainian foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin was preparing the ground for talks between the leaders of the USA and Ukraine. However, after talks with Rex Tillerson may 9, Pavlo Klimkin said that the United States can join the “Normandy format” negotiations on the Donbass, and the head of the state Department – to become a “lawyer” of Ukraine.
“He (Tillerson – Ed.) now understands not just the overall logic of our common position, but is aware of the details. Now it’s time to put the screws to Lavrov, I really hope that he will succeed. We talked in great detail, perhaps we should meet according to recent contacts with the Russian side”, – said Pavlo Klimkin.
For Ukraine, the participation of States in the negotiations on the Donbas – the most ideal option. But, according to Ukrainian politicians and diplomats have always acted against Russia. And the States (as the Obama Administration and the administration of the tramp) believed, since the military conflict erupted on the European continent, so Europeans it and decide.
“It is unlikely that USA will join the “Normandy format” talks about the possibility of things said Pavlo Klimkin, who was visiting the United States. Most likely, we are waiting for the rebirth of the Nuland-Surkov, when the United States will determine who will present” – the analyst of the Institute of world politics Nicholas Beleskov.
Former assistant Secretary of state Victoria Nuland, who in the state Department was in charge of Europe and Eurasia, quite often met with Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov. He is called the architect of annexation of Crimea, separatism and the subsequent Russian intervention in the Donbass. The US really has not yet been decided; successor to Nuland. While this position is temporarily occupies a former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern and not the fact that he can leave to work there on a permanent basis. Besides, according to Mikhail Pashkov, States await the results of the French elections (parliamentary) and elections to the German Bundestag.
“Obviously, the electoral campaign and the deepening in the internal problems are now more important and key to our European partners in the Normandy format. It is obvious that Putin and Russia wants to take advantage of it and put Norman and derived from it the Minsk process on pause. And is doing everything to delay the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, – wrote in his Facebook Vice-speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Irina Gerashchenko.
