karl! your notes at the end are very good.. thanks for sharing your thoughts on these questions and remarks putin has responded to... i agree putin seemed more fatigued and that would have contributed to a thinner skin on questions over the smo when he was expecting more questions on china-russia dynamics.. but as you note, it is not possible for him to give their hand away either as the west will examine all he has said here...
i believe lavrov is a better person at addressing many of these topics as well, but it is clear to see both putin and lavrov are on the same page... i liked how he laid the problems with regard to ukraine-russia at the doorstep of the coup de etat in 2014.. that is so true, and yet it is completely ignored by the west.. as far as they and their msm is concerned, it all started with russias invasion of ukraine feb 2022...
of course lying and manipulating people into ignoring the larger framework and history here is a specialty of the west for obvious purposes.. and of course the west is happy to fight ukraine down to the last ukrainian too... i wish it will all stop... the additional deception of having a group get together in switzerland to help sort out a way of negotiation without russia makes as much sense as everything else the west is behind at this point.. and the west is indeed 'behind', although they remain oblivious to it!
Lavrov was in China too. He spoke today at a forum in Russia that will be the contents of the next article. Ryabkov gave an interview to TASS and said the following along with much more:
"Russian diplomat says US authorities remind him of 'rampaging street mobsters:'"
The authorities in the United States and other Western countries have turned into "political street mobsters" who have gone "on a rampage" in their attempts to test Russia’s strength, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has told TASS in an interview.
"Among the powers that be in the United States and other key Western states there have gathered quite a few personalities who are, by and large, provocateurs, whose raison d'être is to test Moscow’s strength. I would describe them as trigger-happy street mobsters who have gone on a rampage, if you don’t mind my saying so," Ryabkov said.
The senior diplomat refrained from speculating about Russia's "red lines," because such Western functionaries "are undoubtedly obsessed with constantly demonstrating to themselves and everyone around that they have stepped over Moscow’s another 'red line' that has turned out 'not red enough'."
"They just don't understand that we demonstrate exceptional restraint and act strictly within the framework set by the country's leadership and defined in accordance with the goals and objectives of the special military operation, and, of course, in line with what the Foreign Ministry’s job implies," Ryabkov concluded. https://tass.com/politics/1789363
TASS reports on another part of the interview with Ryabkov:
Moscow may lower the level of diplomatic relations with Washington if certain scenarios unfold, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS in an interview.
In his words, Russia has never been the first to make such moves in its relations with the United States or other NATO countries.
"But, in my opinion, [such steps are] quite possible if the West chooses the path of escalation," the diplomat said, adding that developments that will make the downgrade of diplomatic relations possible "do not necessarily imply increased support to Kiev," but, for example, measures "related to our assets or other moves in the economic domain."
The diplomat, however, added that he was not ready to theorize on what the exact "trigger" for this situation could be.
"I’m not ready to theorize on the subject," he said. "If the situation continues to deteriorate, it will become a subject of specific analysis and decision-making at the level of political leaders.". https://tass.com/politics/1789365
TASS does many interviews and never posts the transcripts, but does publish what it considers to be the most important tid-bits, which really pisses me off. Sometimes the MFA gets its own transcript and publishes it, but that doesn't happen often enough.
thanks so much karl for the additional commentary here... yes, it is a shame TASS is unwilling to share the full transcript.. they could easily too.. i am now fascinated by this ryabkov fellow and will have to watch out for him.. i look forward to anything you post from lavrov... thanks so much!
Is it a co-incidence that the so called peace conference is occuring at the same time that Ukraine formally requested NATO boots on the ground? Carrot and stick?
I believe Z has asked for NATO troops before but was turned-down. Also, NATO recently said it would not be providing troops in a rebuff to Macron and others.
Excellent and fascinating rundown. Thank you.
karl! your notes at the end are very good.. thanks for sharing your thoughts on these questions and remarks putin has responded to... i agree putin seemed more fatigued and that would have contributed to a thinner skin on questions over the smo when he was expecting more questions on china-russia dynamics.. but as you note, it is not possible for him to give their hand away either as the west will examine all he has said here...
i believe lavrov is a better person at addressing many of these topics as well, but it is clear to see both putin and lavrov are on the same page... i liked how he laid the problems with regard to ukraine-russia at the doorstep of the coup de etat in 2014.. that is so true, and yet it is completely ignored by the west.. as far as they and their msm is concerned, it all started with russias invasion of ukraine feb 2022...
of course lying and manipulating people into ignoring the larger framework and history here is a specialty of the west for obvious purposes.. and of course the west is happy to fight ukraine down to the last ukrainian too... i wish it will all stop... the additional deception of having a group get together in switzerland to help sort out a way of negotiation without russia makes as much sense as everything else the west is behind at this point.. and the west is indeed 'behind', although they remain oblivious to it!
Lavrov was in China too. He spoke today at a forum in Russia that will be the contents of the next article. Ryabkov gave an interview to TASS and said the following along with much more:
"Russian diplomat says US authorities remind him of 'rampaging street mobsters:'"
The authorities in the United States and other Western countries have turned into "political street mobsters" who have gone "on a rampage" in their attempts to test Russia’s strength, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has told TASS in an interview.
"Among the powers that be in the United States and other key Western states there have gathered quite a few personalities who are, by and large, provocateurs, whose raison d'être is to test Moscow’s strength. I would describe them as trigger-happy street mobsters who have gone on a rampage, if you don’t mind my saying so," Ryabkov said.
The senior diplomat refrained from speculating about Russia's "red lines," because such Western functionaries "are undoubtedly obsessed with constantly demonstrating to themselves and everyone around that they have stepped over Moscow’s another 'red line' that has turned out 'not red enough'."
"They just don't understand that we demonstrate exceptional restraint and act strictly within the framework set by the country's leadership and defined in accordance with the goals and objectives of the special military operation, and, of course, in line with what the Foreign Ministry’s job implies," Ryabkov concluded. https://tass.com/politics/1789363
TASS reports on another part of the interview with Ryabkov:
Moscow may lower the level of diplomatic relations with Washington if certain scenarios unfold, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS in an interview.
In his words, Russia has never been the first to make such moves in its relations with the United States or other NATO countries.
"But, in my opinion, [such steps are] quite possible if the West chooses the path of escalation," the diplomat said, adding that developments that will make the downgrade of diplomatic relations possible "do not necessarily imply increased support to Kiev," but, for example, measures "related to our assets or other moves in the economic domain."
The diplomat, however, added that he was not ready to theorize on what the exact "trigger" for this situation could be.
"I’m not ready to theorize on the subject," he said. "If the situation continues to deteriorate, it will become a subject of specific analysis and decision-making at the level of political leaders.". https://tass.com/politics/1789365
TASS does many interviews and never posts the transcripts, but does publish what it considers to be the most important tid-bits, which really pisses me off. Sometimes the MFA gets its own transcript and publishes it, but that doesn't happen often enough.
thanks so much karl for the additional commentary here... yes, it is a shame TASS is unwilling to share the full transcript.. they could easily too.. i am now fascinated by this ryabkov fellow and will have to watch out for him.. i look forward to anything you post from lavrov... thanks so much!
Ryabkov's been around for a long time and is Lavrov's Deputy, MFA's #2. He's not as tactful, although that might change if he was #1.
Thank you for this report and your careful read, Karl.
Is it a co-incidence that the so called peace conference is occuring at the same time that Ukraine formally requested NATO boots on the ground? Carrot and stick?
I believe Z has asked for NATO troops before but was turned-down. Also, NATO recently said it would not be providing troops in a rebuff to Macron and others.
A “tad fatigued in this photo”? The question is how does he do it? It is just amazing….