LOS ANGELES.–Speaking at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 73-year-old Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. and NATO were provoking a new Cold War with the Ukraine War, risking major escalation on the European Continent. “After the Afghan disgrace, there was a need for a new common enemy,” Lavrov told foreign minister meeting in Valleta, Malta. “The result is the reincarnation of the Cold War, but now with the far greater risk of its escalation into the hot phase,” Lavrov said, irking 63-year-old U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken has been 82-year-old President Joe Biden’s chief salesman for the Ukraine War, telling foreign leaders that if Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine he’ll move on to take over other countries in Europe. Blinken has no facts to support his accusations serving as the White House excuse for war with Russia.
Blinken got his chance to speak after Lavrov finished talking and left the room. “Let’s talk about escalation,” Blinken said sarcastically. Blinken accuses Russia of escalating the war by using some 10,000 North Korean troops deployed to the Kursk regions to work on removing Ukrainian troops from Russian territory in the Russian border. Blinken and 47-year-old National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan say they implement Biden’s order to use every penny of Congressional approved cash-and-military aid before they leave office next month. “Mr. Lavrov spoke about the sovereign right of every member state to make their own choices,” Blinken said, referring to Russia’s Feb. 24, 2022 decision to invade Ukraine. Blinken doesn’t talk about Biden’s refusal to meet with 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss new security arrangements for Ukraine.
Blinken was notorious for saying the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion was “unprovoked and unjustified,” even though Putin tried to discuss new security arrangements for months before moving his troops into Ukraine. “That’s exactly what this is about: The sovereign right of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people to make their own choices about the future, not to have those choices made in and by Moscow,” Blinken said, showing the same kind of belligerent approach that escalated the war into its current disaster for Ukraine. Ukraine’s 47 year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky was offered to a quick settlement to the war in March 2022 but Zelensky opted for war with the Kremlin. Three years later Ukraine has lost some 20-25% of its prime sovereign territory in the Black Sea coast to Russia. So, when Blinken’s gone, the war will eventually settle with Ukraine losing territory.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andri Sybiha, walked out on Lavrov’s talk, showing how the U.S. and Ukraine reject any dialogue on ending the conflict. Sybiha knows that Biden and Blinken will be out next month with Ukraine War under 78-year-old President Donald Trump’s leadership, promising to end the conflict with a political settlement. Sybiha knows that Zelensky said recently that he’s willing to trade land for peace as long as there’s a security guarantee for Ukraine. Zelensky wants NATO membership but know that’s not going to happen anytime soon. Calling Lavrov a “war criminal,” Sybiha showed he’s not fit for a diplomatic post. “Ukraine continues to fight for its right to exist. And the Russian war criminal at this table [Lavrov] should know this: Ukraine will succeed and justice will prevail,” Sybiha said, knowing that things will change when Trump takes office.
Ukraine and the U.S. demonstrate why the war is still raging after three years with Zelensky refusing to accept any of the many credible peace proposals all saying that Ukraine must trade land for peace. Only recently has Zelensky admitted that the war will settle under Trump as president with Ukraine having to sacrifice land-for-peace. Sybiha and Blinken squandered a golden opportunity to make progress with Putin’s right hand man at the table. Disparaging Lavrov does nothing for Ukraine other than make matters worse for settling the conflict. Trump wants to enter the talks with Zelensky knowing his past positions on peace talks but knowing that there’s no way out of the war except through negotiation and compromise at the peace table. Zelensky is worried that once the Ukrainian people know that he’s lost the war, he’ll be hounded out of office.
Meeting in Valletta, Malta gave Blinken and Sybiha a perfect chance to show their sincerity in ending the three-year-old conflict that’s decimated Ukraine and bankrupted its economy. Blinken knows he’s on his way out next month and should help improve the diplomatic path to a settlement. But true to form, Blinken echo’s Biden’s belligerent attitude toward Putin and the Russian Federation, leaving diplomacy all but dead with the White House. Biden and Blinken have left U.S. foreign policy and national security in shambles for Trump. Zelensky doesn’t understand the historic importance of U.S.-Russian relations, something Trump must mend with Biden finally leaves office. Whatever happens to Ukraine, it’s Zelensky’s responsibility for opting for war over peace talks. Now it’s up to Trump to reset U.S. foreign policy and national security.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
