Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz give a joint news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, February 15. Please forward the video to time mark 23:10.
Saker Message:
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz give a joint news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, February 15. Please forward the video to time mark 23:10.
Must comment on Big improvement in visual presentation. Impressive ambient, pristine video quality, excelent lighting. Very professional.
Now, going to listen what they have to say to us.
Not in this news conference, but on the Russian Duma Request to Recognize Donbass Republics
The Russian president said that the State Duma representatives deeply understand those who sympathize with the people of Donbass.
“We must do all we can to solve the Donbass’ issues, but we must first and foremost be guided by the Minsk agreements – which have yet to be adhered to completely.
This news conference seemed a little bit more realistic. Of course Scholz is a seasoned politician and that always helps.
Apparently the decision is not binding but it should give an additional option for Putin.
Yeah,
When the banksters gamble up the price of gas in their “markets”, Russia abides by the lower prices set in the contract. If there is even one thing the Russians have done that was not correct or fair, I have yet to see it.
We heard from one of our German colleagues here last week who provided an insight as to the current state of affairs in that country. In short, (1) Scholz is seen as a bit of a wet blanket and not that popular, he has no real mandate to speak for the majority of Germans. (2) Analina Baerbock is Fake and (3) German business leaders are demanding increased business ties with Russia and are non too happy with US sanctions which impede them. From my own research a large majority of the German public are very much against any confrontation, war footing with Russia.
Against this backdrop, should Scholz fail to act in the best interests of his country, both he and the recently formed coalition Government won’t last much longer. This is an ideal opportunity for an ambitious savvy German politician to stand up and campaign vigorously for what the electorate and business leaders want and against any pressure/duress from nefarious external forces.
Just a few minutes into hearing Scholtz, and it is clear he is a liar with no interest in peace, justice, or even in German national interest. He said that there was “no reason” for Russia to have 100,000 troops “near the Ukrainian border”. No reason ? Scholtz doesn’t want to see that over half the Ukrainian Army is on the confrontation line against Donbass, different from before 2021, and of course the shelling is still going on. Scholtz’s other lie, a bigger lie, is that the diplomatic process is worth pursuing. The Normandy group met for 9 hours on Feb. 10, just 5 days ago, and they could not even agree on a final statement. So that dead end is as dead as ever. Some informal statement from Zelensky to Scholtz that Ukraine would, to paraphrase with maximum optimism, would negotiate with the separatist republics. But Ze’s statement is like writing in water, carries no weight, and Ze can’t and wont’ deliver. Hyppocrite and hard to keep a civil tongue, that Scholtz talks about the “genocide” in Yugoslavia, presumably the Rajak massacre with 40 deaths, and yet Scholtz denies that killing Russian-speaking people in the Donbass is genocide. If Scholtz is the more pro-Russian of the German government (relative to the Atlantacist Greens, then there is no hope for Germany to secure its own future. Really, the de-Nazification of West Germany was a failed hope.
I watched it live and agree that is how he came across.
We have heard ad nauseam that no one wants a nuclear war. Ok, sounds like a reasonable idea.
However, we have just seen and heard the German head of state stand like an empty coat hanger with a bureaucratic hunch/slouch and say nothing of worth in the heart of Moscow. They don’t want war in Europe apparently — he mentioned it a number of times. And yet he could not answer clearly any serious question about NS2, Germans on the Board of Gasprom, or Nato backing off to meet the Russian Dec-21 red-line ultimatums.
He made a rather clumsy attempt to justify Nato (Clinton) invasions in Europe to which Putin bit back very quickly about genocide in the Donbass etc. A rude question or two from a (I assume German?) reporter with the usual anti-Putin bias. Putin just smiled until the end when he (Putin) pointed the way out to the German and then just walked off to leave the German chief plodding along behind like the EU poodle he obviously is trained to be. That last 30-seconds of body language going through the door was the clear message to me. The German leader came across less than trustworthy and not his own master. He could not even stand in front of 4 German national flags!
Obviously, he/they do not want to see the Russian flag flying over Berlin again for some centuries. And yet he cannot stop his puppet-hand poking the pissed off Russian bear. Go figure?
One reporter’s question raised the recent voting in the Russian parliament on recognising the two border regions. He was obviously caught off guard and fumbled the answer – sounding quite rude and threatening actually. The Germans won’t be able to hide their currency & will behind a fuzzy EU flag for much longer I suspect. 20+ million Russians died in the last great war – if Nato/Germany start another war with Russia then I suspect that race will be wandering the earth like the Jews and highly radio-active long-before any more sopping hollow apologies about history are mumbled out the side of their mouths. Actions speak louder than words. Stand up and make peace with Russia and stop hiding behind the EU/Nato flag etc — or “fcuk the EU” if it is getting them into WW3. Otherwise, stfu, sit down and let the masters in London, Paris & Washington decide your fates.
If that is the best that Europe can throw up — and with the Clinton machine looking like it is unravelling right into the USA mid-terms — then the Russians can pretty much decide what parts of the northern Baltic coastline they prefer to own/manage/lease for their own convenience in exchange for an old-Polish western rumpland of the broken up non-Russian speaking Ukraine.
The way I read it: make serious and genuine peace on Russian-friendly terms and turn the Nato-gamer charade off — or get the f_ck out of the place and head to the safe zones in far corners until the dust settles. That place is likely to get really ‘woked’ up big time if suitable terms are not settled within weeks I’d suggest. And if the sh_t really starts hitting the fan in Europe then the USA will be out of there faster than Kabul or Kiev. They are opportunists — not main stayers. And then of course there is Taiwan if it really needs to get hot and complex.
That’s my late-night 2-cents worth.
It is impossible to serve two masters at the same time.
Scholz has to pay lip service to the US, manage his domestic political position, and protect the German economy. Fear of the US has him walking a thin line as everybody knows what happens when you cross it.
Reference: The Logic of US Foreign Policy
https://i0.wp.com/swprs.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/us-foreign-policy-hd.png?ssl=1
All true my friend.
However, one would hope that his follow the script lip service is for American/NATO consumption and that the 3 hours behind closed doors with the Leader of The Free World, VV Putin, will bring him to his senses. Remember, Vlad is fluent in the German language so no need for translators here, no nonsense straight talk. The CIA will be having kittens at this prospect.
Putin’s moves over the coming days/weeks will be largely determined by Germany’s responsiveness to his Security Proposals and Economic cooperation (including NS2 ).
Sink with USS Titanic or swim with the hydrocarbons.
Ich stimme absolut zu, eine Entnazifizierung gab es in Westdeutschland nicht, das kann man hier gut nachlesen, habe ich leider nur in deutsch: “BRAUNBUCH
KRIEGS- UND NAZIVERBRECHER IN DER BUNDESREPUBLIK UND IN WESTBERLIN
STAAT • WIRTSCHAFT • VERWALTUNG • ARMEE • JUSTIZ • WISSENSCHAFT”…http://web.archive.org/web/20101119233343id_/http://braunbuch.de/index.shtml
Ich bin in der DDR aufgewachsen, hier gab es eine Entnazifizierung auf jeden Fall, mit Hilfe der Sowjetarmee; ich fühle mich seit mehr als 30 Jahren fremd in meinem Land; Scholz ist ein Heuchler, korrupt und ohne jedes Rückgrat, wie alle deutschen Politiker, einschließlich die sogenannte “Linke”, sie laufen alle im Gleichschritt., und die Kommunistische Partei wird in Deutschland unten gehalten, vom Verfassungsschutz beobachtet. Ich wünschte, die Rote Armee wäre nie aus der DDR abgezogen. Also nein, von der deutschen Politik ist nichts Positives zu erwarten, alles nur Phrasen.
——-
Machine translation:
I absolutely agree, there was no denazification in West Germany, you can read about that here, unfortunately I only have it in German: “BRAUNBUCH
WAR AND NAZI CRIMINALS IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC AND IN WEST BERLIN
STATE • ECONOMY • ADMINISTRATION • ARMY • JUSTICE • SCIENCE”…http://web.archive.org/web/20101119233343id_/http://braunbuch.de/index.shtml
I grew up in the GDR, there was definitely denazification here, with the help of the Soviet Army; I have felt a stranger in my country for more than 30 years; Scholz is a hypocrite, corrupt and spineless, like all German politicians, including the so-called “Left”, they all walk in step, and the Communist Party in Germany is kept down, watched by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. I wish the Red Army had never left East Germany. So no, nothing positive can be expected from German politics, all just phrases.
Wouldn’t it be something if a thousand unemployed East German bricklayers began rebuilding The Wall.
When I look at Scholzy he eerily resembles Donald Tusk in looks & mannerisms, with the same ‘for rent’ sign on the back of his suit .
Any reason Gerhard Schroder can’t make a comeback, even if just for a term to cut off the head of the CIA serpent? He’s 2 years younger than Biden, has all his marbles and knows where Germany’s bread is buttered.
His last two big pressers were the last two sad nails in Germany’s coffin.
It appears the German industrialists have submitted to the Anglo Saxons and abandoned their heimat. They intend to fully transfer operations to Russia proper. There is no future anymore back home.
But what does that make them in 1-2 generations? Russian companies fueling a renaissance..
Prior to the first Gulf War, one of the iconic photographs captured in a UNSC meeting was former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell holding in his hand a vial of a deadly biotoxin. He used the vial as a prop to falsely claim that Iraq was developing WMD.
The point I make is the U.S. knows how to use imagery to make their argument while Russia does not. Speeches, documents, expert testimony, etc. do not hold as much weight in the eye of the public as a photograph.
Russia has the surveillance technology to capture images of (1) surface-to-surface missile batteries installed in Eastern European NATO countries (2) NATO equipment and men in Ukraine (3) NATO ships docked in the Black Sea ports.
Why doesn’t Russia show these photographs at press conferences as evidence to support their grave concern that NATO military assets are there for one reason and one reason only, which is to threaten Russian sovereignty. NATO is not a fraternity organization or a trade union or even a social club. It is a military platform for which its 30 member States use to intimidate non-NATO countries under the false pretext of “defense.”
NATO uses the same technique as a local Mafia gang that coerces small businesses and politicians to pay “extortion money” to protect them from the Mafia organization, itself.
Russia needs to show physical evidence to make her case like any lawyer would do in a criminal proceeding.
Press conference following Russian-German talks
Following Russian-German talks, Vladimir Putin and German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz made press statements and answered journalists’ questions.
http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67774
I went on a roundabout to the mainstream media. They have nothing to talk about, except to stammer something about NATO says the ‘withdrawal’ cannot be trusted. Suddenly it is not wall to wall wailing about a war and Russia, but simple things like “How much coffee is good for you”. White plastered sepulchers.
I’m sure there are a few journos feeling very stupid today. Maria is nailing them!
“Zakharova: February 15th, 2022 will go down in history as the day Western war propaganda failed. Humiliated and destroyed without a single shot fired.”
All roads lead to Moscow and the brave leaders there will be talking to Brazil’s Bolsonaro today or tomorrow.
Russia did everything that Russia said was going to be done. And they are not letting up on the indivisible security issues, and neither on the Minsk Package of Measures. Lavrov said yesterday: “It is clear that our initiative on European security, on security guarantees we put forward and are strongly promoting, clearly stating our fundamental interests in this, has given our Western colleagues a shake. This is why they are no longer able to just ignore many of our previous calls.”
A shake? What about all shook up!
And China during this time was doing major war exercises. (PLA) Air Force units across all five theater commands recently conducted simultaneous exercises after the PLA Navy held concurrent drills in three major sea regions in a similar manner, in a move that displayed the Chinese military’s high level of combat preparedness facing military provocations from the US and its allies, analysts said on Sunday.
Larchmonter445 asks in another thread where we think we are? quarter time or half time or some sports time measures that I’m not familiar with. But I think we have two timeclocks ticking here yet on one project plan – like milestones for those familiar with project planning terminology.
Russia will have its security. And that is one timeclock and we’re at quarter time. Now begins the building of the documentation and an almost sure shakeup of the UNSC and the UN perhaps. Russia pretends its little stuff, just three issues but it is a very huge thing to reset the security profile of the whole of Europe and the US to a previous era. My crystal ball tells me we are in a parallel process here. While Lavrov says and Putin agrees that there still is space for diplomacy, the EU and the western countries are beginning to understand that they are under the barrel of Shoigu’s weapons.
China will deal with the Quad – the supposed New Nato for the East. They have already started. (Let them just finish the Olympics and sell more diamond encrusted Bing Dwen Dwens).
The other timeclock is the one of Pluripolarity and we’ve just stepped fully into that process which is literally building the world again, this time for an era of good technology and peace (is my fervent hope).
The US brags it sees and hears everything Russia does and Putin tells Shoigu.
Now they can’t trust what they see and hear.
They need proof certain.
What a joke they are.
And Tsoi-gu has been in Syria since the morning, discussing military-technical cooperation issues with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Armed Forces B. Assad and …)))
Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12409058@egNews&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=more-htm-3966
Even the Gulf States are on board, despite US threats, to normalize relations with Syria. The US is the only impediment and the sooner Russia & Iran remove these illegal occupying thieving cockroaches US & Israel, the sooner we’ll see peace in the region.
An attack on a Russian ally is an attack on Russia. Also Russia’s status as a Superpower will be greatly enhanced. 50 years of Goodwill in that one act.
I believe they can hear and see what Russia is doing, but they do not want to believe their own eyes. It is called “Denial”.
Good. Next step is “Bargaining”
Destruction of NATO in a non-lethal way
Results of the meeting between Putin and Scholz
Putin
– Russia does not want war and believes in the Minsk agreements
– Russian genocide is taking place in the Donbass
– in the Duma, the opinion of Russians was taken into account when voting on the issue of the DPR / LPR
– actions at the border will depend on the real situation
– resolve the issue of Ukraine’s non-accession to NATO in the near future by peaceful means
– Russia is not satisfied with the promise not to accept Ukraine into NATO
– Russia is ready to discuss the ideas of NATO and the United States, which Russia previously proposed (withdrawal to the borders of 1997)
Scholz
– security in Europe is impossible without the participation of Russia
Recognition of Donbass would kill Minsk 2 immediately. So, Putin is not going to do it.
I have always thought that if Donbass was ever recognized, it would be as part of Novorossiya.
And that project was ended in late 2015 or so, as I recall. It might have been 2016.
Zakharchenko was told by the Kremlin to stop talking about Novorossiya. Which he did from that point on.
Bringing East Ukraine into Russia has never been a Kremlin goal.
The best solution would have been Novorossiya as an independent entity. Then brought into the Union State years later.
Putin has always been content with satellite entities like South Ossetia and Abkazhia.
As for Donbass, it will not be recognized until Ukraine officially dies or officially kills Minsk 2 and the EU and US agree. Meanwhile, they use it to blame Russia and to hold Russia to it as if Russia is a party to the Minsk 2. It is not and never has been a party to the Minsk 2 Agreement.
Judging the current state of rearmament of the Ukie armed forces, I expect it will be years more of Donbass under the gun and Minsk 2 ignored.
What could go down is Ukraine permanently excluded from NATO and neutral, Minsk 2 nulled, Donbass recognized and separated from Ukraine, NATO moving its missiles out of Romania and Poland.
This would create de facto buffer zones, east and west.
Later, detailed treaties would formalize 1997 lines for NATO membership and new Open Skies and INF.
Germany would get NS-2. The EU would get Ukraine.
Never give up on Minsk 2. This is the magic key of all!
It is actually a security council resolution, i.e., enshrined into law. The Russians won’t break international law.
It is also a document that reflects the credibility of a state.The Europeans, who showed a lax attitude in the implementation and thus neglected the seriousness in this important document, show the same phenomena as the USA. Their word and the law counts for nothing.
Russia cannot but insist on it. It is a matter of credibility.
“What could go down is Ukraine permanently excluded from NATO and neutral, Minsk 2 nulled, Donbass recognized and separated from Ukraine, NATO moving its missiles out of Romania and Poland.
This would create de facto buffer zones, east and west. ”
But the problem is: how will Russia be able to obtain its (just) demands for a “collective security” without having to impose it on a deaf and dishonest interlocutor?
As far as I am informed Russia is not a participant in the Minsk agreement, no Russian signature under it. Its role is more like an observer of their fulfillment or not.
Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia helped draft Minsk 2 ( otherwise this document would never have seen the light of day with only 3 highly likely, semi motivated, stooge participants ). Correct, only 3 signatories who were charged with its implementation = Fail.
Stillborn surrogate Ukraine would have received advice from Uncle Sham who also advise the other two signatories.
In essence, the US and Russia are the foremost authorities here with the rest paralysed of critical thought, autonomy.
Fingers crossed this will all change over the coming days and weeks as it’s integral to Russia’s Security Aspirations.
In actuality, Putin drafted the entire document, and the US was never near the Minsk meeting. Porky was alone, isolated, his army in a cauldron in Debaltseve, and the French had already gone to Moscow to beg Putin to let 600 NATO out of the boiler. In exchange, Merkel and Hollande forced Porky to accept the ceasefire surrender which is the Minsk 2 in 13 steps.
The US was thousands of miles away. The only outsider was Lukashenko who hosted the talks in his capital.
If you write about something as important as Minsk 2, get the facts straight.
Russia is not a party to the Minsk 2 Agreement.
The US was not involved at all.
Porky and Zelensky have refused to take one step toward fulfilling the Agreement.
The Ukies, for years, have tried to get Russia to allow the US in the Minsk 2 talks.
Meanwhile, there has never been one day since that day in Feb. 2015 the Ukies have kept their guns silent.
Gorlovka has been under artillery fire everyday without a stop.
Over 5000 have been killed since the ceasefire.
The only thing that one can conclude from this conference is that German officials are in the pocket of UKUS, and serve their interests 100%.
What is interest of German people can not be seen by meeting with those individuals. If there was any positive development, we were not allowed to hear.
My gut feeling is there was, judging only by positive athmosphere between speakers, in contrast with words they had spoken. Unlike Lavrov meeting with British creature.
Not sure, may be just wishfull thinking.
Nothing is in the interest of the German population. The Greens have written it into the election program and the Socialists want it too. The EU should be created without countries.
Complete destruction of Germany and build a central government EU. That facilitates centralization under a world domination.
The population here in Germany is worth nothing anymore. Most do not recognize the trend, know nothing, refuse.
The sad capital of traitors in Germany and a stupid western people.
Thx for posting this press conference, Saker.
My first impression about chancellor Scholz is positive. He answered each question adressed to him, was not evasive. He seemed to be in control of his files. I was worried about him repeating the US war propaganda. He didn’t do so.
I have a feeling that Biden will not have a lot of control over Scholz. He seemed to be able to make decisions on their own merit, which is positive for the Russia/Germany relationship.
Regarding the decision Putin will have to make about the recognition of the independance of Donbass, I am inclined to believe that he would like Ukraine to implement the Minsk agreements, but he is also realistic about it. He used to word ‘genocide’ for the current situation in this region, which is important. I think that he will have 30 days to approve or not. Scholz mentionned that Ze promissed him that laws would be put in place shortly. Another empty promise by Ze ? Probably.
About NS2, Scholz is saying that it is an economic project. He probably liked that comment by Putin that gas deliveries would continue, if the demand is there and the network in good condition. He is favorable to the project, and this is important.
I waited for question how he feel about Bidens threat to “end” Germany’s multi billion project on a whim. The fact burning question wasn’t allowed (obviously) tells volumes.
Regarding German news I found the articles written by Thomas Röper, a German living in Moscow quit interesting:
https://www.anti-spiegel.ru/
He became so mad at the propaganda of Der Spiegel magazine that he made his “Anti-spiegel”.Remembers me of my youth, living close to Damme, where the history points to this freedom-loving personality, very well known in Germany too. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Till_Eulenspiegel)
Thomas Röper regularly reports about the Russian reaction towards the recent events and opposed to writings in the German Press. He takes a lot of time to explain for instance the Minsk accords and wrote several books, also on the Donbass-war.
When I have some time and have a look at the comment sector of popular German news-sites I find usually 60/40 opposing views, some real Putin-haters but also many “Putin-versteher”. I remember back in 2014 how the majority of the Germans (online-commenters) were against war and positive towards Russia… till MH17 happened. It was always a dived country anyway. Der Spiegel was one of my fathers weekly newspapers, that I could read from my childhood on and later as a adult. After 2014 their propaganda and lies became so evident that I stopped reading it in utter disgust. We need to remember that the Germans (a lot of them from former DDR) understood Russian or had good connections to Russian news sites, back in 2014. Many websites gave alternative news. They all have been cancelled since then, Germany is one of the worst offenders against free speech, having “hate-crime” ready as it’s tool. They even attack websites in the USA who let Germans use their free speech (… it is sometimes ugly I agree), sending German court orders to stop “offending German news”.
The fact that they censored RT DE is no surprise at all to me.
One of Thomas most popular article writes about a German town warning its citizens about a possible coming energy black-out (https://www.anti-spiegel.ru/2022/gasmangel-deutsche-stadt-warnt-vor-drohendem-stromausfall-und-empfiehlt-vorraete-anzulegen/)
Scholtz nevroticly repeat the same atlantist mantra the door of nato is open as joining nato was to be considered as going shoping to buy anything on the market.
Russia is moraly sane but is facing a West fed with lies to saturation. Llike with this say ” in Yougoslavia it was not the same, there was a genocide ” to justify the bombing of Yougoslavia, ignoring the réhabilitation of Milosevic by the International court of justice in Lahaye . So what?
Not the same as in donbass, yes with nazies Killing. Civilians. Two lies in one sentence.
But lies give smal rhetoric deepness, so go to nevrotic speaking. So finally, Scholtz sais it, until him and Putin are in charge, Ukraine won’t join Nato. “But after’.
Exhausted by his maniac atlantist speech, he give the point for Putin, finally.
Despite the Duma’s request to recognize Lugans and Donetsk, Putin is again making a terrible mistake, forcing the Minsk agreement, which has been completely belittled by all parties. Putin has a hidden reason for this non-recognition and protection of the Russian people, as Putin rightly called the Genocide, which it is, and besides, he still gives a chance to that genocide.
Putin wants a de-nazified Ukraine with a degree of independence (but basically pro Russia) He wants either eastern Ukraine rehabilitation or special status, probably with Russian or UN peacekeepers.
Read the Sino Russian joint statement of Feb 4th – it sets out the Eurasian future vision. It can be read on kremlin.ru Eng/Rus. It doesn’t include countries invading other countries or meddling in others sovereignty. Putin cannot have it both ways, it would destroy any credibility. It is a delicate situation, it is a lingering wound for Putin, he dropped the ball in 2014, recovered with Crimea but boy he should have at least gone to the Dnieper. As things stand I don’t see anything changing anytime soon. Maybe he gets a no NATO Ukraine, ok but with the UK/US snake still in there, its always going to be a thorn in the side.
Destroying the entire Ukraine military without invading would have been my option, let the US and UK watch what will happen to them if they want to play wars. NS2 goes bye bye, big deal, SWIFT cut off, meh, they have replacement and US and Europe will have to pay in rubles for oil/gas, if not cut them both off, crushing the EU and being the cause of the US economy finally going over the edge. It’s pointless blustering and doing nothing. we have to ask ourselves why this is so. For all the vaunted Eurasian century, Putin still seems to have one leg in Europe, reluctant to let go. The West shows its true colours and there isn’t room for Russia, accept it and move on.
On a visit to Hamburg several years back my hotel room looked out onto the River Elbe ‘The Gateway To The World’. Very impressive watching these vast containers ships proceed in line towards I guess the North Sea. I expect business has slowed considerably since that peak and if Germany’s not careful might even trickle to a halt.
There is a stat for that. ;)
https://www.hafen-hamburg.de/en/statistics/containerhandling/?
A rather positive presser, this.
What I like about it is Scholz’s mention of the need to get on with Minsk, several times.
The Ukraine’s reneging Minsk — at the behest of the US — is the biggest impediment to peace in Europe, and Germany is tired of it.
No questions from the German press about helmets but a male idiot, no doubt well instructed by his handlers back home, tried to steer the conversation towards the non-entity and Novichok survivor Navalny and was rewarded with a curt reply from Scholz — well done, Scholz — who of course repeated Germany’s official stance. Full stop, no further elaboration. No harm done — and we can hardly expect the German chancellor to do a 180 degree turn on the matter in Moscow.
Western MSM is trying to spin Russian troops’ returning to barracks post-exercise in Belarus and elsewhere as a ‘Russian withdrawal’; corollary: ‘Biden saved the day.’ Well let them — Russia lets the the US save its face by letting it gain a hollow PR victory; and both it and RF can move forward on more substantive matters. Speaking of which, there is some positive movement on weapons control and other ‘secondary’ issues related RF’s ultimatum according to Lavrov’s briefing to VVP the other day.
In addition to the many other ‘Fake News’ narratives that have been offered in the ‘west’ I suggest that ‘Ze is/was a comedian’ be included in the list. Clearly from this high level dialog Putin is objectively more humorous. Notice how many times both Putin and Scholz hold back laughter at questions from the ‘press’ and Putin’s responses.