Sergei Lavrov Conducts Master Class in Diplomacy With CBS
Wow!! If you did not see Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s interview today with Margaret Brennan, the anchor of Face the Nation, go get your popcorn and a stimulating adult beverage, and watch it. Beyond the information value, it is damn entertaining. I posted it below. It is a remarkable display of skill and intelligence by Mr. Lavrov. I think this is the first interview of Lavrov by a major US television network in eight years, maybe longer. Finally, the Russians get to make their case in their own words to the American public.
So, here’s a question… Can you name a single American politicians or diplomat with the status of Lavrov that could sit down with a Russian counterpart of Ms. Brennan and answer questions in Russian as Mr. Lavrov did in English? He was eloquent and articulate. More than that, though, he handled the gotcha questions with aplomb and, at times, humor. Hell, I can name a long list of American politicians who, if confronted with the same kind of questions from Ms. Brennan, would have failed to answer as directly and coherently as did Mr. Lavrov.
As you know, I had the privilege, along with Judge Napolitano and Mario Nawfal, of interviewing Mr. Lavrov for 90 minutes. The man you see on Face the Nation is the same one we met in Moscow. He ain’t a bullshitter. He is armed with facts, he remembers history, and he provides genuine, eloquent answers.
CBS recorded this interview last Thursday, I believe, and released it today. This interview preceded the meeting of Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, with President Putin on Friday, as well as President Trump’s brief chat with Volodymyr Zelensky prior to the funeral mass for Pope Francis. It appears that Mr. Witkoff presented Mr. Putin with the US proposal to acknowledge Russia’s claim on Crimea as legitimate in exchange for Russia agreeing to an immediate ceasefire. President Putin reportedly politely rejected that offer, and repeated Russia’s position that Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporhyzhia are now, and will remain, part of the Russian Federation.
As I expected, Mr. Witkoff also discussed the negotiations with Iran and Mr. Putin explained what Russia was prepared to do to help the US obtain a firm guarantee that Iran would not build a nuclear weapon. There was a glimmer of good news on Saturday, after Witkoff met in Oman with Iran’s Foreign Minister — serious issues were discussed and the two sides agreed to met next Saturday in Europe.
Americans who are expecting Russia to make concessions, such as accepting an immediate ceasefire along the line of contact or relinquishing their control of the four territories in eastern Ukraine, better change their expectations. Russia is not going to trust promises of the US or the Europeans to do the right thing.
Donald Trump needs to stop deceiving himself and insisting that he has had no role in the war now ravaging Ukraine. If you read my previous post — The Road to War in Ukraine — The History of NATO and US Military Exercises With Ukraine — Part 3 — you can read for yourself that the US and NATO stepped up its aggressive military posture towards Ukraine during Mr. Trump’s first term. Not only did Trump supply Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, but the Pentagon approved anti-submarine warfare and amphibious warfare activities as part of the USEUCOM and NATO exercises. In addition, on September 4, 2020, U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers entered Ukrainian airspace for the first time, conducting a long flight along the borders of Crimea. From Russia’s perspective, Mr. Trump is neither an innocent nor a neutral party when it comes to negotiating an end to the war.
This week may be decisvie, if Marco Rubio is to be believed. Speaking on one of the Sunday talks shows:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said … that the Trump administration will decide this week whether to continue pursuing a negotiated settlement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or to turn its attention to other matters.
Notice he only mentioned two options — i.e., pursue a negotiated settlement or turn its attention to other matters. Importantly, Rubio said nothing about ramping up or restarting military support to Ukraine. I hope Rubio is correct. Without the United States facilitation, the Ukraine will be rendered impotent to continue and sustain military operations.
"So, here’s a question… Can you name a single American politicians or diplomat with the status of Lavrov that could sit down with a Russian counterpart of Ms. Brennan and answer questions in Russian as Mr. Lavrov did in English?"
Michael McFaul?
Just kidding. Only the late Stephen Cohen could have done that, and probably should have done that, if any or even all of Dubya, Obama and Trump would have had the imagination to employ a self-described "national security patriot" with a keen interest in avoiding war.
Anyone wanting to bring themselves up to speed on how we got into this mess can do much worse than get hold of a copy of Cohen's last book:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/war-with-russia-stephen-f-cohen/1130060642?ean=9781510755468
I watched it. Thank you, Larry, for the heads up! What struck and disappointed me was how stupid and disingenuous Maragaret Brennan was. Not that my expectations were high, but she didn't come close. The only thing that Face the Nation can be applauded for was allowing the American public to listen to Lavrov field questions for a significant amount of time on establishment media. I think that's a first. But mon dieu!, could they not find an intelligent interviewer? After all, there's Tucker Carlson, who can ask penetrating questions. Lavrov remarked early on, "You are not listening to me", which was manifestly true. Margaret Brennan is simply an embarrassment.