Pompeo's visit to Sotchi: a thaw in relations?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and President Putin in Sochi today Tuesday. Observers think he will propose a meeting between Trump and Putin at the G-20 at the end of June. Trump cancelled the last meeting after the incident in the Kerch Strait. Russian commentators ask whether relations between the two superpowers are on the mend.
Taking part is everything
Radio Kommersant FM examines Moscow's motives for starting a dialogue with Washington:
“What counts for the Kremlin now, as [Sergei] Lavrov put it, 'is for Putin, Trump and Xi to decide the fate of the world'. Of course it would be better if it was just the two, but if Comrade Xi has to be involved too, that's just how it is. Russia is a superpower but not the only one. Winning is not everything here, it's about taking part. Even if the dialogue goes on forever, the main thing is that Russia stays in the top team with a right to take the lead. ... It's not about making breakthroughs, the important thing is to keep talking to each other. As long as talks continue there is hope of things improving, of an easing of tensions in the world, and that the situation in Russia will thaw and we can reach an agreement with Ukraine.”
Washington fears Moscow-Beijing alliance
Constantin Remchucov, editor-in-chief of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, sees a general change of course in Washington:
“The goal is to tear Russia away from China, because many experts see Russia's warmer relations with China as a fatal consequence of the sanctions war against Russia. ... If we take China's economic power and Russia's military might together, we see how the West is creating a potential opponent that is well armed in every respect. This is why it seems to me that the Americans are starting to think that they should stop pushing Russia so forcefully into Beijing's arms.”