By Shannon Pettypiece and Hallie Jackson
Washington - President Donald Trump (click here) plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the White House on Tuesday as the Democratic impeachment inquiry raises fresh questions about his relationship with that nation.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also attend the meeting intended to "discuss the state of the bilateral relationship," a senior administration official said....
Supposedly, Pompeo asked Lavrov to stay out of the 2020 elections. From "Stars and Stripes:"
December 10, 2019
By Matthew Lee and Deb Riechmann
...Lavrov met earlier in the day with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, (click here) who warned against Russian interference in U.S. elections. Lavrov repeated denials of Russian interference, calling them “baseless." Special counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Trump-Russia investigation from the FBI, determined that Russia interfered in the election in an effort to help Trump beat his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
“I was clear: It's unacceptable, and I made our expectations of Russia clear,” Pompeo said of election interference. "The Trump administration will always work to protect the integrity of our elections. Period. Should Russia or any foreign actor take steps to undermine our democratic processes, we will take action in response.”...
Something tells me the request by Pompeo didn't reach the Foreign Minister's ears, perhaps Trump's interpreter was in order.
The New York Times is reporting that Pompeo was discussing nuclear arms with Lavrov. I suppose miracles happen, but, in September 2019 Lavrov was stating "The West" is in decline.
By Edith M. Lederer and Sarah DiLorenzo
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, walks onto the stage to address the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters Friday, Sept. 27, 2019.
United Nations - Russia’s foreign minister (click here) took aim at the West on Friday, saying its philosophies are out of step with the times and that it is struggling to accept what he called its diminishing dominance in world affairs.
In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, Sergei Lavrov blamed the countries that declared themselves winners of the Cold War between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union for the current challenges facing the world, and for the increasing fragmentation of the international community.
Who worries about that? No one worries about that. If there has to be a determination about the Cold War then it is easy to say, THERE IS NO MORE SOVIET UNION!
He pointedly scorned much of the “West,” a term Russian officials typically use to refer to the United States and its traditional allies in Europe. He accused them of manipulating their citizens, disseminating false information, and preventing journalists from doing their work — all charges that the West has long lobbed at the Russian government and its predecessor, the Soviet Union....
WHEN ARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GOING TO WAKE UP TO THE FACT RUSSIA IS AN ENEMY OF THE USA AND A PRESIDENT THAT ENTERTAINS THEM ARE EQUALLY A THREAT?
There is no meaningful discussion about a nuclear non-proliferation treaty. There never will be.
