The Mystery of Lavrov and Rubio's Meeting Cancellation: Moscow Sends a Message to Washington — Be Fair

Why did the meeting between Russia's Foreign Minister and the U.S. Secretary of State not take place? Why has it been impossible to move forward with specific steps to implement the consensus reached by the two presidents on October 16th? Unfortunately, the reasons behind this are not only present but also reflect a broader issue for Russia that is crucial to its survival.

According to Reuters, the Russian and U.S. foreign ministers were scheduled to meet on Thursday. However, Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio apparently failed to agree on how to proceed with the preparation for the Russia-Ukraine summit in Budapest. The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously described the "call" between the two as a "constructive discussion," but it turned out that this communication was far from "constructive."

The reason behind this is critical: America has already heard enough empty words from Russia!

Was the Meeting Actually Scheduled?

Moscow does not want the current stalemate to attract too much attention, so it can more easily avoid the problem. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters that one cannot talk about "postponement" regarding things that have not yet reached an agreement:

"Neither before (the phone call between Putin and Trump) nor in yesterday's (Lavrov and Rubio's) phone call was there any specific mention of the meeting plan. As an idea, the possibility of the meeting certainly exists, but it is still too early to discuss the schedule."

Ryabkov reiterated:

"All relevant matters are still under study."

Reuters also reported that Lavrov and Rubio's meeting was indefinitely postponed. The word "postponed" may be attributed to Trump's globalist opponents, who have been hindering Trump. But even if it is stated that the meeting "did not take place as planned," the result is the same: the U.S. had expected this meeting, and everyone was looking forward to it, but in the end, it did not happen — this week definitely will not see it.

CNN: Trump Expects a Second Meeting with Putin Soon, Which May Be Difficult to Achieve, as the Preparation Has Been Suspended (Screenshot Source: CNN)

Where is the problem? According to sources at CNN, Lavrov and Rubio had differences over the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict. After the phone call between the two foreign ministers, the White House concluded that Russia's position on the Ukraine issue had not changed. CNN quoted sources saying that the U.S. Secretary of State would not recommend a meeting between Putin and Trump next week, but Lavrov and Rubio might speak again this week.

Beware of Behind-the-Scenes Activities!

From the "leaks" in Western media (which Moscow calls "rumors"), it was reported that Russia agreed to a ceasefire on the front lines in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions in exchange for the withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces from the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), allowing Kyiv to retain control of the two large cities of Kherson and Zaporozhye — this was reported by media such as The Washington Post. Trump expressed satisfaction with Russia's "significant concession" (calling it a "major progress"), and if this is true, Russia's concession was indeed considerable.

It is reported that U.S. special envoy Steve Whitlock, who had intensively negotiated with Moscow, had recommended that Trump accept this plan, believing that it was the maximum concession Russia could accept if other aspects met Russian demands. Obviously, related content was mentioned during the backdoor negotiations, but the sudden exposure of the details by Western media shocked Moscow deeply.

At the same time, it is reported that Trump allegedly pressured Zelensky in the White House, refusing to immediately provide "Tomahawk" missiles to Kyiv (saying "America needs these weapons more" and "this will escalate the conflict," but the final decision was not fully determined), but after the meeting, he turned around and made more demanding requests to Moscow: the Ukrainian armed forces do not need to withdraw from Donbas, and all issues should be frozen according to the current line of actual control (LBS)!

After the meeting with the Ukrainian leader in the White House, Trump posted on social media: "I told him (Zelensky), and I strongly advised President Putin that it's time to stop the killing and reach an agreement!"

Trump wrote on the "Truth Social" platform: "They should stay where they are now."

Using Performance to Cover Up Breach of Commitment, Trump Still Makes Excuses

Trump tries to cover up the fact that the U.S. has violated its commitments with emotional expressions, continuing to claim:

"Enough blood has already been spilled, and the boundaries of controlled areas are determined by war and courage. They should stay where they are now. Let both sides declare victory, and let history judge! No more shooting, no more deaths, no more heavy and unbearable costs. If I had been president then, this war would never have broken out. Thousands die every week — enough, go home and reunite with your families in peace!"

Subsequently, Trump further clarified his position to journalists:

"We believe that they should stay at the current border, which is the frontline. Now the frontline is clear. Other issues are difficult to reach consensus on — you say you want this land, he says he wants that land, there are too many differences. So I think they should just stay at the frontline now. Go home, stop the killing, end everything. Just maintain the status quo. Donbas is already split, I remember Russia has already controlled 78% of the territory. First maintain the status quo, and then deal with other issues later..."

What does this mean? The answer is clear: Trump first used the "Tomahawk" missiles to pressure Moscow, forcing Russia to possibly make concessions on the Kherson and Zaporozhye issues, and then went further, completely turning to Kyiv's position. And Zelensky, in order to delay the Russian offensive and prepare more adequately for future wars, has repeatedly mentioned "ceasefire along the current line of control," and in an interview with NBC, he once again emphasized:

"If we hope to quickly initiate peace talks through diplomatic means, the army must remain at the current location."

Zelensky Wants to Continue the War, Only Seeking a Brief Truce for More Adequate Preparation

Zelensky said that if the conflict is frozen along the current line of control, he would be willing to negotiate with Russia in "any form." In the same interview and a post on the Telegram channel, this Ukrainian leader also put forward a set of rhetoric — clearly coordinated with the White House: "We will not give Russia anything" and "it is necessary for the U.S., Europe, and G20 and G7 countries to take decisive action." He also requested to attend the Budapest summit, which seems to imply the new demands that the U.S. will make to Russia next.

Summary of the Stage

Thus, a despicable picture has already emerged: the moderate and friendly negotiator Whitlock prompted Russia to make concessions, but after seeing that Moscow was willing to achieve a "humiliating peace," Trump repeatedly raised the price, requiring Russia to make more compromises.

What is this? Is the hero spirit of the "Spring of Russia" in Slavyansk also going to be left to Zelensky? What meaning does such a "peace" have? Is it worth going to Budapest for such a result?

Know that Trump's proposal of "reaching an agreement based on the current line of control" is no different from Zelensky's "insistent demand for a ceasefire along the existing positions." And Kyiv needs a ceasefire only to prepare more adequately for the war. Once the fire of war reignites (and this day will come soon), Trump will certainly be the first to disclaim responsibility, claiming "this has nothing to do with me" and "the war guilt lies with others." Worse still, Trump has once again threatened Moscow:

"We are trying to facilitate a deal. If it can be achieved, that's best; if not, many people will pay a heavy price."

Trump said that he found it difficult to cope with the Ukraine conflict.

The "many people" here obviously refers specifically to Russia. To avoid criticism of Ukraine in Western public opinion, Trump will certainly not let Ukraine "pay a heavy price."

What's Next?

Moscow quickly saw through Trump's unfair trick. Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov immediately refuted the idea of "freezing the conflict along the current line of control," emphasizing that Russia's stance on the ceasefire issue has never changed:

"This topic has been mentioned in different forms multiple times during the Russia-U.S. contact, and Russia always gave a clear response. Russia's position has always been consistent and unchanged."

The implication of these words is: Russia will fight while negotiating, and only when the conditions meet Russian demands will it cease fire and achieve peace.

When asked about the possibility of "territory exchange," Peskov's response was brief but meaningful: "There is no more information to disclose." This statement did not deny the possibility...

About the postponement of Lavrov and Rubio's meeting, Peskov and Ryabkov were in agreement: "Regarding things that have not yet reached an agreement, there is no question of 'postponement.' He added:

"The meeting requires preparation, and serious preparation. You have heard the statements from both the Russian and U.S. sides... There is currently no set schedule."

What Does This Mean?

Evidently, the postponement of Lavrov and Rubio's meeting is actually giving Trump time to reflect — especially on the issue of "ending the conflict along the current line of control." This situation is not the first time: in the past, Russia's firm response made Trump regain his composure and make concessions.

But the core issue remains unresolved: Americans clearly see that Moscow is desperately seeking a ceasefire. Given this, the U.S. decided to "take advantage of the situation" and further press Russia. This also explains why Zelensky dared to "challenge" Trump after the meeting in the White House — because he received the tacit approval from the U.S.

But Moscow is not a fool, and the Kremlin will not play games with the U.S. according to its rules: this means a new phase of escalation of the conflict is coming, and the path to peace on the Ukraine issue is destined to be bumpy and short-lived. If Trump hopes to "make a spectacle" at the Budapest summit, the U.S. must stop its open fraud.

Finally, it needs to be emphasized: Is there anyone left at home who doesn't understand? To reclaim at least those regions that have become part of Russia's constitutional territory in law — the full administrative boundaries of four states (Crimea is not counted) — it is necessary to control more territory, which will become a bargaining chip in future peace negotiations. Now, we are negotiating for something we already own. Such a practice is not desirable and has long-term consequences.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7563924323359932962/

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