It’s sad to see US diplomacy reduced to ultimatums and sanctions – Lavrov

Published time: 31 Mar, 2019 12:38Edited time: 31 Mar, 2019 12:43

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lamented the adversarial style of the current US policy towards Moscow, saying Washington shows no intent of seeking compromise contrary to what diplomacy is supposed to be about.

“I don’t see anything coming from the US diplomatic corps except ultimatums and threats to impose sanctions unless the demands are met. All other tools have vanished from the arsenal of American diplomacy, and that is sad,” the Russian minister said in an interview for an upcoming documentary, which was partially published by the ministry.

The sentiment came in response to the latest threats coming from Washington over Russian policies in Ukraine and Venezuela. Lavrov said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tones down his rhetoric when speaking directly to him, compared to his public statements on Russia, but the essence remains the same.

“When we talk on the phone… he speaks in a correct manner. Understandably, we disagree on virtually everything. And the threats are voiced all the time,” he said. “If you head a diplomatic agency, you are supposed to seek diplomatic solutions for various problems.”

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When asked about US President Donald Trump recently ordering Russia to get out of Venezuela and whether he found such language acceptable, Lavrov said he “didn’t discuss manners.” Trump’s words were said in reaction to Russia sending some military personnel to the Latin American country under a long-standing agreement on defense cooperation.

The Russian minister suggested that the US should search for new approaches in its foreign policy.