Ukraine crisis: John Kerry meets Putin in Russia

[MBS]

Source: BBC News

US Secretary of State John Kerry has been meeting President Vladimir Putin during his first visit to Russia since the Ukraine crisis began in early 2014. Earlier Mr Putin's spokesman called the meeting in Sochi a "positive step" and said the Russian leader was prepared for "extensive" discussions.Mr Kerry has also met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
. . . .
For President Obama to send his top envoy all the way to Sochi is significant. That the Kremlin has now called the visit positive and said President Putin is ready to discuss a wide range of issues with him is even more important.
. . . .There's an air of expectation on both sides about this meeting, but also realism. One Russian deputy foreign minister described the agenda as complicated and not improving - which suggests a long, hard slog.

The visit came on the same day that opposition activists published a report, originally compiled by murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, alleging that 220 Russian soldiers had died in two key battles in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the rebels with heavy weapons and soldiers - an accusation echoed by independent experts. Moscow insists that any Russians serving with the rebels are volunteers.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32700259

[karynnj]

1. Best wishes for the incredible Secretary of State

Things are incredibly bad with Russia, but perhaps the fact that Putin asked for this meeting may signal that he is looking for a way to gracefully step back from the ledge he and Russia have gone to.

There are so many issues that could be defused with the US and Russia working together. It is amazing how many conflicts Kerry is dealing with at the moment. I am so happy that he is Secretary of State at this moment - as few people could match his strength of character and the genuine pursuit of reconciliation and peace that has moved him for decades.

[MBS]

2. I agree completely!!! n/t

[RobertEarl]

3. A Ukraine nuke plant had an explosion

At that time, about two months ago, is when Germany and Russia decided to work together to end the conflict, because at that point everyone figured if there was another Chernobyl type event the whole world is screwed.

[MBS]

5. " " " " "

it seems to take an event like that for people to wake up and realize how much is at stake with international gamesmanship.

[NobodyHere]

4. Who better to talk peace than a supporter of the Iraq War?

nt

[karynnj]

7. You mean the man who said "Don't rush to war" on January 23, 2003?

His vote - like Biden's - was to give Bush leverage getting the inspectors in and going to the UN and exhausting diplomatic alternatives. You are conflating March 2003 when Bush took the country to war --- after inspectors had been in Iraq for about 5 months and found nothing. (This does not mean that voting yes was good -- and he said the vote was wrong in 2005, 2006 REPEATEDLY.) Kerry has ALWAYS been for exhausting the diplomacy and going to war only as a last resort --- something Bush had actually promised to do publicly before the vote.

So, consider what YOU are doing is spreading blame evenly --- instead of placing it on the Bush administration where it belonged.

[MBS]

8. thank you very much for setting the record straight.

And I agree wholeheartedly

[MBS]

6. updates on meeting so far:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-arrives-in-russia-for-first-direct-talks-with-putin-in-two-years-1431416574

BREAKING NEWS

Lavrov, Kerry Agree to Use Influence to Implement Cease-Fire in Ukraine
Lavrov: U.S., Russia Agree to Avoid Steps that Further Damage Relations
Lavrov: Putin Urged Close Cooperation Between U.S., Russia

Kerry: U.S.-Russia Cooperation Can Produce ‘Real Progress’ in Syria
Kerry: ‘Urgent Need’ For Joint Effort in Syria on Chemical Weapons, Political Transition
U.S., Russia Will Continue Syria Conversations in Coming Weeks
Kerry: On Ukraine, Minsk Agreements Best Path to Peace
Kerry: U.S. Remains Concerned About Cease-Fire Violations
Kerry Thanks Putin for ‘Detailed’ Explanations of Russia’s Positions
Kerry: Didn’t Come to Sochi With Expectation for ‘Major Breakthrough’
Kerry, Putin Had ‘Significant, Serious’ Conversation

(h/t mylye2222)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/12/us-russia-usa-idUSKBN0NX0LG20150512

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he had "frank" talks about Ukraine, Syria and Iran with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and said it was important to keep in contact.

With the United States and Russia on opposite sides of the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, Kerry's trip appeared designed as much to maintain contact as anything else with U.S.-Russian relations at their lowest ebb since the Cold War.

Kerry met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for more than four hours before he sat down with Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in what was the highest-level U.S. visit to Russia since the Ukraine crisis began in the autumn of 2013.

"Had frank discussions with President #Putin & FM #Lavrov on key issues including #IranTalks, #Syria, #Ukraine," Kerry said on his official Twitter feed.

"Important to keep lines of communication between the U.S. and #Russia open as we address pressing global issues," he said.

[snooper2]

9. good, maybe Kerry can talk a little sense in to crazed bubble man