Volker vs. Surkov: There is no Good News for Russia
The U.S. special representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker met with top-level Kremlin advisor Vladislav Surkov in Minsk on Monday

Surkov told that fresh ideas of resolving the Ukraine crisis had emerged during the conversation. “The meeting was useful and constructive,” said Surkov. “The two sides proposed fresh ideas and novel approaches for their implementation,” Interfax quoted him as saying, without elaborating. “We agreed that the peace process on the political track, as well as in the sphere of security, can and should go faster.”
So, what can we say about this report? The Russians are trying to get rid of Western sanctions without implementation the so-called “Minsk agreements”. The first time they wanted to force the US and the EU to recognize the results of the illegal Crimean referendum. The Barack Obama’s administration refused to recognize Crimea as a Russian territory. Then Vladimir Putin invaded eastern Ukraine, where he proclaimed two “people’s republics”. Moscow finances these fake “states”, gives weapons, military equipment, and troops. But Russian propaganda keeps talking about “civil war” in Ukraine and “Donbass rebels”.
The Kremlin offered the US a “big deal” which suggested that Russia leaves from Donbass but gets Crimea on the property. The White House and the State Department refused the Russian initiative. And Russians invaded Syria in the fall of 2015. The main goal was to exchange the “Syrian issue” on the US govt inactivity in Ukraine. But Putin failed the second time.
We can explain why Americans didn’t agree with Russians plans. Because Kremlin lies everytime and everywhere. If Russians don’t think how to cheat at the moment it means they are planning to play “dirty games” the next day. Putin violates all agreements and systematically tell a lie to western leaders and politicians. White House and Europeans have no any guarantee what Putin will do according to a convention. And now Putin’s messengers try to cheat current the US administration. Surkov’s statement indicates that the Americans again did not believe the Russians.
