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- Stopping the issue: negotiations between the Russian Federation and the United States on normalization of relations have been put on pause
Stopping the issue: negotiations between the Russian Federation and the United States on normalization of relations have been put on pause
The dialogue between Russia and the United States on the elimination of irritants has stalled. The next round of negotiations on the restoration of the embassies in Moscow and Washington is not planned, the American mission told Izvestia. Although it was previously reported about a possible meeting in early November. The other day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the dialogue on bilateral issues is not going as fast as we would like. Experts are confident that only progress in the Ukrainian settlement will help revive it. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively taking advantage of the lull in negotiations. There is still no clarity about the leaders' summit in Budapest. What else prevents the normalization of relations between the two powers is in the Izvestia article.
Consultations between the Russian Federation and the United States on irritants
The Russian-American dialogue as a whole has not been rich in close contacts and breakthrough solutions lately, which, apparently, has influenced the normalization of bilateral relations and the elimination of so—called irritants. The next round of negotiations on restoring the full-fledged work of the embassies in Moscow and Washington is not planned, the American mission in Moscow told Izvestia.
— The United States considers the bilateral channel as a constructive and permanent platform for negotiations on the stabilization of our diplomatic missions. The talks with our Russian colleagues are focused on restoring their functionality in Moscow and Washington, rather than on broader normalization or improvement of our relations. However, negotiations in this format are not currently planned," the US Embassy said.
Apparently, there is no particular progress on the issue of resuming the issuance of visas to Russian citizens in Moscow. In June, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that it had managed to resolve the most "acute, glaring problems," including those related to visas. But the American mission stressed to Izvestia that "the embassy no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services due to the Russian government's ban on the employment of foreign citizens in any position." Currently, Russian citizens can apply for a visa in Warsaw or Astana.
By the way, the other day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov did not answer a question from journalists when and where a meeting of delegations on mutual irritants could take place, repeating the thesis that it was necessary to "clear up the rubble" from the previous US administration. "With the arrival of the new administration, we felt a willingness on its part to resume dialogue. It is moving, but not as fast as we would like," the minister said. Moreover, the Russian side intends to go further and discuss not only the issue of restoring the work of embassies, but also the resumption of flights and the return of Russian diplomatic property.
The fact that dialogue on stimuli is difficult has become clear for a long time. The second and so far last round of consultations took place more than six months ago, although the interim Istanbul results after February 27 and April 10 were quite optimistic. With the third round, the situation became noticeably more complicated. In June, the Russian ambassador to Washington, Alexander Darchiev, assured that it would take place in the near future and almost even in Moscow. However, as the Foreign Ministry later stated, it was canceled on the initiative of the American side. In the fall, information appeared that consultations could take place in late October or early November. At the same time, the American embassy did not name any dates, even approximate ones, although they expressed their willingness to hold them at any time convenient for both sides.
The car of the Russian delegation at the residence of the Consul General of the United States in Istanbul on the eve of the meeting of representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States, February 27
On the other hand, it would be wrong to say that representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States do not discuss pressing issues, especially given the huge potential for cooperation. At the end of October, Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, traveled to Washington, where he met with Anna Paulina Luna, a member of the Republican House of Representatives. After that, Dmitriev said that the Russian Federation and the United States were discussing the idea of creating a tunnel under the Bering Strait.
What hinders the dialogue between Russia and the United States
It is worth noting that consultations on irritants were held almost in parallel with the negotiations in Saudi Arabia on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict in February and March. Obviously, the slip on one track affected the other one as well. Normalization of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States requires that a solution to the Ukrainian crisis be moved from the dead end, said Pavel Sharikov, a political scientist and a leading researcher at the European Integration Research Department at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
— 99% of the Russian-American dialogue is now around Ukraine. At the same time, there is not even an American ambassador in Moscow at the moment, so all discussions are conducted directly with the White House administration," he added in an interview with Izvestia. — There is always a chance of recovery, but the current negotiations are not public, so it is premature to make any predictions.
This is especially hindered by Donald Trump's overly volatile position over the past few months: from positive assessments of personal contacts with Vladimir Putin to reflections on the supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kiev and the possibility for Ukraine to return all territories.
— After the meeting in Anchorage, he was under tremendous pressure to stand up to Putin. He succumbed to this pressure, and relations between the two nuclear superpowers deteriorated sharply," Peter Kuznik, director of the Institute for Nuclear Research at the American University in Washington, Professor of history, tells Izvestia.
Moscow still expects Washington to comply with the Anchorage agreements. There is also no specifics from the White House on the new summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which may take place in Budapest — the recent visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Washington has brought some optimism. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are taking advantage of the lull in Russian-American negotiations by continuing to strike civilian targets on Russian territory, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said.
Poseidon underwater vehicle
At the same time, unsurprisingly, it is not even the Ukrainian agenda that is at the center of the Russian-American dialogue these days. What can "interrupt" the ongoing military operations using conventional weapons right now is the potential ones using nuclear weapons. At the end of October, Donald Trump once again surprised the whole world with the decision to resume nuclear tests after 30 years, and in Russia, the latest weapons were tested almost immediately.
— After the Russian tests of the Oreshnik, Burevestnik and Poseidon delivery systems and Trump's statements, in addition to his fantasy of the Golden Dome (a missile defense system to protect the North American continent from ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles, including nuclear ones. — Izvestia), nuclear weapons have once again become one of the main topics on the world agenda, unprecedented since the end of the Cold War, — Peter Kuznik drew attention.
As if to confirm its readiness, on November 5, the United States conducted tests of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of carrying a nuclear charge. Despite the fact that it has been in service since 1970 and is tested relatively regularly, the chosen timing for the next launch cannot but attract attention.
Launch of the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile
The reaction of the other major nuclear power was not long in coming. On the same day, a few minutes later, Vladimir Putin instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defense and relevant departments to study the possibility of preparing for nuclear weapons tests at a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council. The head of the Defense Department, Andrei Belousov, suggested a suitable training ground. At the same time, the president stressed that Moscow has no plans to depart from its obligations under the CTBT, but if necessary, it is necessary to take adequate retaliatory measures. The Kremlin later clarified that it was necessary to maintain parity.
— Now the negotiations between Russia and the United States are clearly on pause. The positions have diverged quite a bit. Systematization of successes on the battlefield and military construction are on the agenda," Georgy Asatryan, deputy director of the Center for the Institute of Military Economics and Strategy at the Higher School of Economics and an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, told Izvestia.
But this does not mean that there will be no more negotiations. Most likely, Donald Trump and his entourage have not yet fully understood the depth of the conflict and its root causes, which the Russian side has repeatedly stated. The problem is systemic and primarily related to Russia's security, the expert emphasizes. This is also why the nuclear issue has now come to the fore, somewhat pushing aside other aspects of bilateral relations.
By the way, the United States is considering Vladimir Putin's initiative to comply with restrictions on the START Treaty (Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms), Sergey Lavrov said. Earlier, the President of the Russian Federation proposed to adhere to the restrictions in accordance with the document for another year after its expiration. Probably, a constructive and, most importantly, substantive dialogue on this topic will revive other important areas for both sides.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
