The US has canceled a meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that was scheduled for Thursday in Geneva.
Blinken announced the cancellation on Tuesday, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move to recognize the breakaway republics in the Donbas and send troops to the region, which the US says is the “beginning “of a Russian “invasion” of Ukraine.
“Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time,” Blinken said. “I consulted with our allies and partners — all agree.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also announced that a meeting with Lavrov he had scheduled for Friday was canceled. The US and its European allies coordinated on sanctions against Russia that were also announced Tuesday.
Blinken and Lavrov were going to discuss the security negotiations that have been ongoing between the two powers. Last week, Russia delivered its written reply to the US’s response to Putin’s security proposals.
The Russians noted that the Americans are willing to negotiate arms control but ignored the key demands concerning NATO expansion and the presence of US and NATO forces near Russia’s borders.
The situation will now be dictated by events on the ground in Ukraine over the next few days and weeks. Expect escalation of the fighting to all-out war and eventually an incursion by Russia in order to help the LDPR expel Ukrainian forces from the areas of Donbass they control.
That is my take as well and it is very disconcerting…
It’s basically a reprise of the old familiar cold war proxy war, and will likely be modulated by both sides (ie, US and Russia) to tactical level. Russia will send in support troops. The US is sending in whole brigades of decommissioned special ops and marines, “private civilian contractors” paid for with US military aid to Ukraine. The only catch is that Russia cannot afford to lose this one.
It won’t. Any US mercenaries will end up dead. This won’t go on for a long time because Russia will end it before it ends up costing more than they want to spend. – unlike the US which keeps wars going forever so they can profit.
Blinken has been ignoring the war for a year now why should he change his position now.
One would think Blinken would welcome the addition of Peacekeepers to the troubled region. Think Blinken will support a No-Fly Zone ?
By Russian Su-57 fighters? Of course he would. /s
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, Tony.
A real diplomat would have insisted on the meeting taking place.
Yes.
I am concerned about a “diplomatic breakdown”, increasing our chances of war… This is usually how things start… It concerns me…
boo hoo hoo!!
blinkey can’t take the heat in the kitchen
there is really little lost by this , as there is hardly a single person in all the Western world worth talking to
I would call the Democrats antisocial but I know Blinky is simply following orders.