16 April 202119:28
Foreign Ministry statement on measures in response to hostile US actions
The latest attack by the Biden administration against our country cannot go unanswered. It seems Washington is unwilling to accept that there is no room for unilateral dictates in the new geopolitical reality. Meanwhile, the bankrupt scenarios for deterring Moscow that the US myopically continues to pursue only promise to further degrade Russian-US relations.
In this context, the appeals from across the ocean to refrain from escalation and essentially accept this attempt to talk to us from a position of strength sound hypocritical. We have repeatedly warned and demonstrated in practice that sanctions and any other pressure will never succeed and will only have dire consequences for those who dare attempt such provocations.
We will introduce the following countermeasures in response to anti-Russian sanctions in the near future:
- Employees of US diplomatic missions will be expelled on a reciprocal basis in numbers proportional to the actions taken by the US authorities against Russian diplomats.
- Incidentally, we noted how quickly Warsaw played up to the US administration by demanding the departure of three Russian diplomats from Poland. In turn, five Polish diplomats will be expelled from Russia.
- The US Embassy’s practice of using short-term trips by State Department staff to support the functioning of diplomatic missions will be restricted. The issuance of visas to them will be reduced to a minimum: up to 10 people per year on a reciprocal basis.
- In strict conformity with the Vienna conventions on diplomatic relations and Russian law, including the Labour Code, measures will be taken to discontinue completely the practice of US diplomatic missions employing citizens of the Russian Federation and third countries as administrative and technical staff.
- The bilateral 1992 memorandum of understanding on open ground is declared invalid due to systematic violations of rules for trips in the Russian Federation by employees of US diplomatic missions.
- Plans are in place to halt the activities in the Russian Federation of American foundations and NGOs controlled by the Department of State and other US government agencies. These consistent, long-term efforts will be brought to an end, all the more so since the United States shows no intention of scaling back its systematic subversive efforts underpinned by a wide array of laws.
- Obviously, this very tense situation objectively requires the ambassadors of our countries to be in their respective capitals to analyse developments and hold consultations.
These steps represent just a fraction of the capabilities at our disposal. Unfortunately, US statements threatening to introduce new forms of punishment show that Washington is not willing to listen and does not appreciate the restraint that we have displayed despite the tensions that have been purposefully fuelled since the presidency of Barack Obama.
Recall that after a large-scale expulsion of Russian diplomats in December 2016 and the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in the US, we did not take any response measures for seven months. We responded only when Russia was declared a US adversary legislatively in August 2017.
In general, compared to the Russian diplomatic missions in the United States, the US Embassy in Moscow operates in better conditions, enjoying a numerical advantage and actively benefitting from the work of Russian citizens hired in-country. This form of disparity frees up “titular” diplomats to interfere in our domestic affairs, which is one of the main tenets of Washington’s foreign policy doctrine.
Incidentally, soon the Foreign Ministry will publish on its website the names of eight incumbent and former high-ranking US officials and other figures involved in drafting and implementing anti-Russia policy. They will be permanently banned from entering the Russian Federation. This is our equivalent response to the sanctions against Russian officials that the US blacklisted last month.
Now is the time for the United States to show common sense and pull back from this confrontational course. Otherwise, the US will face a host of painful decisions, for instance, an order for US diplomatic missions to reduce personnel in Russia to 300 people. This will establish real parity at bilateral foreign offices because the US quota of 455 employees still includes the 155 people sent to the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. However, this has nothing to do with our bilateral mission.
There are also other options. Of course, we realise that we are limited in our ability to squeeze the Americans economically as they have us. However, we have some resources in this respect and they will also be used if Washington chooses to follow the path of spiraling sanctions.
None of this is our choice. We would like to avoid further escalation with the US. We are ready to engage in calm and professional dialogue with the US in order to find ways of normalising bilateral ties. However, the reality is that we hear one thing from Washington but see something completely different in practice. There must be no doubt – not a single round of sanctions will go unanswered.
We have obviously heard President Joe Biden express interest in stable, constructive and predictable relations with Russia, including a proposed Russian-US summit. When this offer was made, it was received positively and is now being considered in the context of concrete developments.
Press release on a ban on entry of certain US citizens into the Russian Federation
In response to the sanctions against Russian officials imposed by the US administration on March 2 of this year, the following incumbent and former US high-ranking officials and figures complicit in pursuing the anti-Russia policy, are denied entry to the Russian Federation:
- Merrick Brian Garland, United States Attorney General;
- Michael D. Carvajal, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons;
- Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, United States Secretary of Homeland Security;
- Susan Elizabeth Rice, Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council, former US Permanent Representative to the United Nations and National Security Advisor;
- Christopher Asher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
- Avril Danica Haines, Director of US National Intelligence.
In addition, entry is denied to John Robert Bolton, former National Security Advisor to the United States President, former US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Robert James Woolsey Jr., former director of the US Central Intelligence Agency.
In view of the unprecedented complications in Russia-US relations provoked by Washington, it was decided to deviate from the usual practice of not making public the response measures taken by the Russian side.
This seems like a deliberate break from the Russian cultural norm of not making specific threats.
“not making specific threats.”
The Russian Federation does not make threats, they either make statements of intent which are implemented, or remain silent whilst implementing their decisions.
The World as it Truly is
Not really. The Russian response has been elegant and efficient. Not only have 10 American diplomats been expelled, but Russian citizens will be banned from working at the US Embassy, which no doubt will cause a huge headache for the Embassy, as Americans are not known to be lovers of foreign languages. On top of that American NGO’s will be banned from operating in Russia, while a number of US officials have been banned from entering the country.
Finally, Poland found fit to impersonate the US. It expelled three Russian diplomats. Moscow responded by expelling five Polish. That should teach Warsaw not to push the cart in front of the horse.
RE Leo on April 17, 2021 · at 4:13 am EST/EDT
“The World as it Truly is (,)
Not really.”
“Let’s wait a few days before passing a final judgement on the quality of the Russian counter measures.”
Different social relations perceive time differently.
In the 1930’s some in Polish “intelligence” were of the view that the “Soviet Union” lived in the future because the present was so terrible.
Some others believe that a lateral process has finality.
Some others believe that the finality of a lateral process is achieved and/or can be perceived in a few days.
Some others believe that they have the facility and significance in passing judgement and consequently have a different notion of time, despite recognising
“Of course, we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes and the Russians are under no obligation to divulge what else they might be doing. “
then ignoring this, when once more ““The World as it Truly is (,)
Not really.”
“That should teach Warsaw not to push the cart in front of the horse.”
“Should” is in large part a projection, and “may” a word of wisdom.
Perceiving “should” as a purpose is also in large part a projection, whilst “may include” are words of wisdom.
Hence “The World as it approximately is.” since last time I visited Warsaw wasn’t pushing carts, but some inhabitants of Warsaw and possibly some visitors to Warsaw were not only pushing carts, but also pushing cars, perhaps in ignorance of the efficiencies of pull options ?
@Leo
Now the Czechs have joined in:
https://tass.com/world/1279435
Another allegation from 2014 and guess what – links in with the Skripals.
https://www.rt.com/russia/521369-czech-republic-expels-russian-diplomats/
“The Czech Republic says it will expel 18 Russian diplomats, alleging that Russian intelligence officers were involved in a local munitions depot blast in 2014. It comes a day after Moscow said it would expel 10 US diplomats………Several explosions rocked an ammunition depot in the village of Vrbetice, some 330km southeast of Prague, in October 2014. The blasts killed two employees of a private company that had been renting the warehouse from the Czech military.
Also on Saturday, the Czech police placed two Russian citizens, who had allegedly visited Vrbetice at the time of the explosions, on the wanted list over “serious crime.” They were identified as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov – the same persons that Britain accused of being the Russian spies in the UK responsible for using the infamous ‘Novichok’ chemical agent on double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March 2018…..”
The US/NATO vassals continue their pathetic backing of the US to their own detriment (no Sputnik V for Czechs as their Foreign Minister won’t go to Moscow now).
They didn’t like the Russian response and are now whinging – pathetic!
https://tass.com/world/1279647
“Five diplomats will continue to work at the Czech embassy in Moscow after Russia declared 20 embassy employees personae non grata, Rudolf Jindrak, head of the foreign department of the Czech president’s office, said on Sunday. “Five diplomats will stay there [at the Czech embassy in Moscow]. People who are to leave [Russia] are not agents [of Czech intelligence services]. They have 24 hours to leave [Russia] whereas we gave [employees of the Russian embassy] 48 hours,” he said, adding that practically all employees of the embassy’s political department are to leave Russia.
He also said he did not understand why the Russian side had expelled by two diplomats more than the Czech side.
Czech First Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamacek, who is also acting foreign minister, said that among those expelled from Russia were 16 diplomats and four technical personnel. The Czech air force will organize a special flight for them. “Ambassador [Vitezslav] Pivonka will stay in Moscow,” he said……”
The Russian public are having a field day ridiculing this ridiculous PR story about Petrov and Boshirov:
https://www.rt.com/russia/521416-petrov-boshirov-memes-russia/
Lots of great one’s here including “‘Did they shake Biden’s stairs too?” and one commenter summed up the reaction: “The message ‘Petrov and Boshirov were here’ is being discovered by comedians in an increasing number of NATO Allies.” :)
I think that Russia knows it is dealing with a US shadow government, so Biden is what besides a dementia patient? I think Russia will continue to proceed very slowly, carefully and openly — like when you’re talking to a crazy person and you don’t to accidentally startle them.
Tit for tat. Who really believes a fight with Russia in Russia is winnable? If it got out of hand, China takes Taiwan in the chaos. Joe is becoming more of an inconvenience. Kamala ain’t doing nothing but yucking it up. So the Deep state is running the show. Joe is just reading a promoter and not doing that good of job at it. I think Skynet is here. The machine has taken over. Joe always claimed he was just like a soldier in his army. The machine is in control. When Joe goes, you got the chackling witch in the wings. God help us all!!!
The bear is grinning in showing its teeth.
Someone better take notice.
They are throwing all the toys out of the pram on the bank of the Potomac. Just in on the Sputnik Telegram channel:
The US later in the day responded with more threats:
“Today’s announcement by the Russian government was escalatory and regrettable. It is not in our interest to get into an escalatory cycle, but we reserve the right to respond to any Russian retaliation against the United States,” a State Department spokesperson told Sputnik.
This is Washington’s MO. They punch you and kick you in the groin a few times, then they call for peace and de-escalation. Then when someone reciprocates, they cry that they are being attacked and bullied.
But I love Russia’s response in banning the funding of US sponsored NGOs! That’ll hurt their plans to subvert Russia.
Well overdue. Quite surprising they were allowed to operate in Russia, until now, even though everyone in Kremlin is aware of their malicious activities.
We all know the saying – “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”.
Here is an article about the US Biden regime throwing its toys out the pram and making more pathetic threats:
https://www.rt.com/russia/521324-state-department-russia-sanctions-retaliation/
Its not just the NGO’s also the “open ground” memorandum of 1992, which allowed US diplomats to move freely around Russia. It has also been “declared invalid due to systematic violations” by Americans”….
Probably one of the most important sentences in the article:
“….US sanctions and messages from Washington “show that Washington is not willing to listen and does not appreciate the restraint that we have displayed despite the tensions that have been purposefully fuelled” by Washington since the Obama administration, said the Foreign Ministry”…..
That says it all about how the Russians have dealt with these fools running US policy and their decision makers.
“Its not just the NGO’s also the “open ground” memorandum of 1992, which allowed US diplomats to move freely around Russia.”
It was useful for travel to Potemkin villages but the utility of Potemkin villages wanes over time.
I sincerely don’t know what were you trying to say!
RE: padre on April 17, 2021 · at 10:37 am EST/EDT
“I sincerely don’t know what were you trying to say!”
Words, their order and register are catalysts of connotations.
In your case the connotations catalysed include but are not limited to :
By writing I was “ trying to say”.
By “ I sincerely don’t know” I “were trying to say”.
The practices catalysed included but were not limited to:
bridging doubt by belief to attain comfort in “the hope” that I may “explain” to you further in a way that you would understand
thereby emulating the opponents in seeking to assign a significance to themselves that others do not share
with a topping of (!) exclamation mark in “the hope” such constitutes an appropriate attempt at coercion.
since the “other” requires the “understanding of the significant” to have agency.
Thank you for your datastream in written form.
What else are they gonna say/do?
They have to have the last word. At least, try.
They have to maintain the fiction (and playground whine) that “Russia started it!” (Wah)
Katherine
A few peanuts..as usual.
Not that I know what the balances of power are in the Russian Hierarchy but I am more than a tad concerned with the so called atlanticists and pro western cabal, i.e. Elvira Nabiullina, kudrin, chubais, medvedev, et al.
Putin and excellent advisors lavrov, shoigu have their own way with dealing with the pychopaths in wash dc but I am not sure that it gets thru the heads of rabid russia haters that the free ride is over.
When veggie and giggles are being puppet controlled by the likes of sullivan, blink, susan rice, and whomever behind the curtain, it may take much stronger steps to say it is over.
Only Nabiullina remains in power. The others have been effectively sidelined/removed from the government’s decision-making apparatus.
Thanks! good to learn.
UN has to be moved outside the US to a different country.
An artificial island should be created in international waters as a new home for the UN. All countries would contribute to its creation. Perhaps include an area to house endangered animals. Could also include free to all universities and laboratories for the use by all scientists of the world to find cures, new innovations etc away from the clutches of Big Pharma and corporations. Utopian yes but this is what the world needs.
Могу предложить Кубу.
Google translation,MOD:
I can offer Cuba.
Cuba is indeed a very good place; it has the needed infrastructure and experience as it had already hold international events with participation of delegates of more than half of the world countries, for several days in a row.
Cuba is also on the top countries on the medical and health fields, which may be a good point in times of pandemic fear (delegates are much less likely to have covid related problems in Habana than in New York).
It is not that much far from New York, that is, international delegations only need to make a minor change of their flight schedules.
Delegates won’t be immersed in flood of capitalistic influence and lobbies; nor will they have esy access to the world’s top luxury and perversion markets (which for some delegates — those aiming for their own selfish onanistic satisfactions rather than truly represent their countries’ interests –, may be a problem).
And for sure the reaction of absolute anger from the Empire will be unmatched and priceless. Of all countries in the World, the choosing of Cuba a the new seat of the United Nations will be the most humiliating for the Empire.
So, you are saying UN Motherbase in the Seychelles. Sounds good to me.
That is strong language from Russia, IMHO. The US would be well advised to wind their necks in (hint: they won’t, so I expect some hard hits on the economic front coming from Russia as alluded to in the statement).
Y seguimos viendo un vocabulario muy diplomatico como respuesta a las sanciones ! Por parte del gobierno ruso. A diferencia de las amenazas por parte del Tío Sam. Ya no es prudente seguir esta linea como respuesta, pues solo envalentona mas la otra parte, se percibe como signo de debilidad en nuestra sociedad actuar tan blando, ser tan blando raya en el miedo segun nuestra sociesas occidental. Rusia de responder con contundencia, no solo en la practica…tambien endurecer el vocabulario pues solo asi entienden los matones.
PD…mi admiracion al Saker
Google translation,MOD:
And we continue to see a very diplomatic vocabulary in response to the sanctions! By the Russian government. Unlike threats from Uncle Sam. It is no longer prudent to follow this line as an answer, because it only emboldens the other party more, it is perceived as a sign of weakness in our society to act so soft, to be so soft bordering on fear according to our Western societies. Russia to respond forcefully, not only in practice … also to harden the vocabulary because only then do bullies understand.
PS … my admiration to the Saker
Carlos Vera:
Concordo (saudações do Brasil).
O velho Joe é um pé de banana plantada num vaso de argila, não durará muito tempo.
A Vice (Kamala) creio, nem assumirá porque, assim que a Economia quebrar, os EUA entrarão numa Guerra Civil.
Não sei quantos aqui lêem “theburningplatform.com” ou “bayourenaissanceman.blogspot”…
As coisas internamente nos EUA estão feias, tenho amigos lá, também estão sentindo, alguns já mandaram as famílias de volta para o Brasil.
Vivemos dias interessantes (como dizem os chineses (como praga) )…
Uma coisa engraçada:
Num comentário no Daily Mail, o cara escreveu:
“A ameaça de Merkel e Macron à Putin é como duas folhas de grama mandando o cortador de gramas parar” KKKK
Não sei até onde as coisas chegarão mas, creio, 2021 não terminará bem, muitos (principalmente no hemisfério Norte) sentirão saudade de 2020 se as coisas ficarem quentes, termodinamicamente quentes…
Infelizmente. :-\
Google translation,MOD:
Carlos Vera:
I agree (greetings from Brazil).
Old Joe is a banana tree planted in a clay pot, it won’t last long.
Vice (Kamala) I believe, nor will she assume, because as soon as the economy breaks down, the United States will enter a Civil War.
I don’t know how many here read “theburningplatform.com” or “bayourenaissanceman.blogspot”…
Things are ugly in the USA, I have friends there, they are also feeling it, some have already sent their families back to Brazil.
We live in interesting days (as the Chinese say (like the plague)) …
A funny thing:
In a comment in the Daily Mail, the guy wrote:
“Merkel and Macron’s threat to Putin is like two blades of grass telling the lawnmower to stop” KKKK
I don’t know how far things will go but, I believe, 2021 will not end well, many (mainly in the Northern Hemisphere) will miss 2020 if things get hot, thermodynamically hot …
Unfortunately. : – \
Frankly, I am surprised with overkill in Russian reaction this time. Even it is long overdue after all those insults and provocations.
Waiting to see US counter reaction. Will they double down or act like its nothing serious?
I am saying this because I do not feel real determination on US side to join the fight in close future. They are not ready, nor willing, maybe not even able to do so.
Those huffing and puffing from West have sole function to push other usefull idiots onto Russia to, hopefuly, delay projects, deplete its ammo, instigate regime change, reveal its weaknesses, and many other goals beautifuly presented in studies from various (wishfull)think-tanks.
For God sake, Hitler brought 3.8 MILION soldiers, many of them victorious and battle hardened. No snowflakes among them. No divided country. Thriving industry.
He lost.
What 5000 shock troupes here and there can change against Russia that is infinitely stronger than Stalin’s? (Not to mention difference in strengh of ally like China, then and now.)
When I see 4 000 000 western troups at the gates, I will change my mind. Wait… I forgot China.
So no…not gonna happen.. For now.
Re “Those huffing and puffing from West have sole function to push other usefull idiots onto Russia to, hopefuly, delay projects, deplete its ammo, instigate regime change, reveal its weaknesses, and many other goals beautifuly presented in studies from various (wishfull)think-tanks. ”
It may be huffing and puffing, but it is still dangerous and damaging. Not a game anyone should think they can play with impunity. Time to get serious. Call it “The Boy Who Cried Bear!”
So, the bear has arrived.
Now what?
The USA had better get scared soon.
Otherwise we’ll be toast.
Katherine
@ Katherine
Three words: Damaging, Impunity and Dangerous.
My point is that Russia have to minimize economic Damage that west constantly force on it. The costs are mounting up for years.
Tens of billion$ per case.
I know, Russia can take it, but…What bothers me, until now, there was no reciprocity on western sabotages. Glad to finally see some on diplomatic level. No more Impunity.
Sadly, no cost for “enablers”, not even their puppets. That is source of Danger, and that’s what must be changed. Hit them where it hurts.
Of course, it is absolute thrill to see Bear finaly showing it’s teeth.
To paraphrase one great (fictional, of course) American:
“Don’t make Russians angry. You wouldn’t like them when they are angry”
There is an old bulgarian saying: не викай Мецо!, да не се обади.
Roughly translated it means: Don’t cry “Bear!”, because she may answer.
The americans didn’t just cry it; they’ve poked it long enough and now she’s awake and annoyed.
When it comes to the level of destruction Russian latest missile technology presents today, even 4,000,000 is nothing that cannot be wiped out/ decapitated in a short period of time.
Numbers mean nothing against current Russian’ military capabilities, focused on missile technologies that are so much ahead of everything currently available in NATO countries. It is not even close.
@Blackring : “Frankly, I am surprised with overkill in Russian reaction this time. Even it is long overdue after all those insults and provocations.”
There’s too much emphasis on Biden, that is a block to getting at the real crisis.
Try grasping the thought: humanity at the abyss. It is out there, then 20thc and more importantly, 21st century military empowerment of Russia, also with the full implications of Russian 20thc history, then unfolding before our eyes, is the potential conclusion.
The difficulty is the mammoth political complication of the growth, through centuries even, of the current deadlock. In general, folks could use a more lateral perspective of this, or risk failing to grasp the full implications.
Pray for de-escalation, I believe its possible, to some degree.
Very telling is this line:
“… tensions that have been purposefully fuelled since the presidency of Barack Obama.” to be understood as this:
“tensions that have been purposefully fueled since the ( continued, shadow) presidency of Barack Obama”.
Thus, the Russian leadership in a subtle way makes it clear that they know exactly whom they are dealing with especially with Susan Rice being included in their list of counter- sanctioned people.
Yes, I noticed that, too, and was glad to see it. Connecting the dots to Obama.
It seems to me that the soil is rich to plant a Ukraine-gate initiative against Biden. His private dealings with Ukraine surely are a factor in his reckless endangerment of US and world security.
Is there no one in DC who can get this going?
No one in Congress? Or, leak to Buzzfeed? Laptop contents?
Are the Dems the only ones who know how to seed rumors and grow them into weeds that clog the Swamp- works?
Not to mention, what about impeachment proceedings against Biden for this reckless behavior toward Russia and for his overreaching EO? Am I the only one who wonders whether it doesn’t breach separation of powers?
Katherine
“Connecting the dots to Obama.”
Katherine, why stop at Obama? His parents ran a laundry for CIA drug money. He was called the Jewish candidate by Afro-Americans in Chicago. In the “Western world” (which includes a few countries in the Middle and Far East) all dots lead to Anglo Zio Capitalism.
Yes, Pritzkers’ darling.
Why stop at Obama, the Pritzkers’ darling?
Well, that may be the next stop/dot. But not the right stop/dot now. IMHO.
Katherine
The current bout of anti-Russian campaigning by the West was launched exactly at Maiden and the Russian Olympics. Before that, there was an alleged “reset” of US-Russian relations on the table.
My hunch is that the US will respond with more diplomatic expulsions and sanctions, and Russia will continue to respond in kind, and on and on ad nauseum until such time as the only representation left for Russia is the UN delegation. And thus, a de facto break in diplomatic relations. Then the US will be left with a real choice to go after them, and break the UN. Perhaps that’s what Russia was alluding to when they said the US will be left with difficult decisions.
Many in the US desire that, and perhaps many throughout the world may not see that as much of a problem, but such a situation leaves the world back at 1939. A total deconstruction of international law. For instance, if Russia no longer has representation in the UN, then decisions by the security council are illegitimate. And though the US may just smirk at that contention, Russia has the nuclear weapons to take that stance. And Russia (and Putin especially, he is a jurist after all) can then proceed to act accordingly…think Hobbes. The US likes to portray Russia as a rogue nation. We all know it’s utter crap here, but imagine Russia unbound. The phrase “be careful what you wish for” comes to mind. The US needs to be very, VERY careful from here on forward. I don’t believe they will be.
So I don’t believe that Russia’s reaction is timid. With their release of this statement, explaining their rationale and readiness, though desire not to, continue down this path, they are putting down a strong marker that the days of going along to get along are over, and that the descent into the maelstrom will continue (and they will be RIGHT there) until the US changes course.
Stop supplying rocket engines and stop taking US astronauts to the ISS, which will really hurt.
Also embargo Russian oil, which replaced Venezuela’s oil.
China should send ships between Cuba and Florida. Mirroring US support of Taiwan.
US leadership is clearly insane and its contradictory behavior indicates schizoid mentality.
Just as happened to Germany, the US public and leadership badly needs reality therapy.
On the hand large segments of the US public are too far gone, too appallingly ignorant.
https://m.journal-neo.org/2021/04/15/the-nasty-truth-about-america-s-love-affair-with-narcissism-and-self-pity/
“Stop supplying rocket engines and stop taking US astronauts to the ISS, which will really hurt.
Also embargo Russian oil, which replaced Venezuela’s oil.
China should send ships between Cuba and Florida. Mirroring US support of Taiwan.”
These are also my kinds of thoughts. Spread the hurt to Americans outside the Swamp. I bet many Americans are unaware of American reliance on Russian rockets. Get this into the news by threatening to end this support, or by actually doing so. Perhaps in the form of “If the desired summit takes place, all forms of Russian support for US activities will be on the table—foremost, our provision of the XYZ rockets that carry your astronauts safely to the ISS.” That would at least get the info into the American MSM.
Regarding military actions on US borders, at the very least, for now, explain clearly (for the benefit of the US public and the rest of the world) exactly what “mirroring” US actions would mean: meddling in Mexico, Canada, and Cuba; placement of missiles in Mexico, Canada, Cuba; flying sorties over the border with Mexico, Canada, Cuba; sending warships to patrol just offshore the East and West Coasts and the Panama Canal; etc.
Americans must somehow be made to see how crazy and dangerous our provocations in Ukraine are.
Maybe produce a map that shows what actual “mirrored” threats would look like.
Katherine
It took them long enough to deal with the NGO issue. I wonder why- studying their methods? Wanting to roll up their networks? Russians are no strangers to tradecraft.
US views Russia’s countermeasures as escalation, reserves right to respond — DoS
“It is not in our interest to get into an escalatory cycle, but we reserve the right to respond to any Russian retaliation against the United States,” a spokesperson said
https://tass.com/world/1279307
Yankees ‘exceptionalists’ don’t tolerate any counter sanction even very soft like the ones taken by RF, ok guys.
There is nothing to negociate with these bunch of warmongers except their capitulation after their total destruction.
No need for ‘fake summit’? No need of Minsk 2 anymore.
Sell all US t bonds, exit from swift(which is not a US company), located in …Waterloo Belgium, before they expel RUS.
Get out of PACE which is a russophobe arena with zero utility, but RF pays 22% of the budget.
Get out of IMF before the US seize the russian funds and T rights + gold.
Get out of the World bank for very same reason.
Fire IMF stooge Russian central bank Nabiullina.
Clean up all Atlanticists and put them in jail of high treason.
Sue Navalny and his gang(Sobol and co) for high treason and intelligence with foreign powers(25 years in jail).
If necessary to one point postpone elections of sept because of state of war or emergency.
Close all US consulates, all agents, diplomats, ngo, think tanks ‘à la Carnegie House’.
For sure they will cancel EURO 2021 football games in St Petersburg in june-july(only 6), not very important no foreign public accepted due to covid, nothing lost.
Expect the same for the Olympics(if they really go ahead not yet sure), same remark no foreign public allowed.
It is not a real RUS team anyway, RUS flag and anthem prohibited for 2 more years.
Prohibit Russian tourism to Erdogang Turkey for 5 years, Egypt and other countries will be glad to welcome Russians.He will loose billions.
Stop selling hard oil to the US(for kerozene), real problem for the US as Venezuela and Iran also main producers are under US embargo.
No more overflying of Siberia(I know Aeroflot will loose 1 billion in theory but with the covid very few fligths for the moment as China and Japan don’t allow a lot of flights).EU airlines will loose more, but they deserve it, just ask Borrel for some money guys.
Stop all relations with the EU as an entity, only bilateral relations and exchange with countries who still wish so, this will put more discord inside the EU which is bankrupted under mountains of covid debets anyway.
Threaten to seize or freeze EU assets in Russia, nationalize US/EU companies and expropriate shareholders.
Pay off in full external debt(16%) which is still very low compared with US/EU de facto bankrupted. Then no more pressure possible.
NS2 sanctions are coming next week anyway, it will be German problem now. Stop the gas flow through Ukropland as of next day untill the permanent bullying stop. German and EU problem.
Launch a new payment system based eventually on real gold(no etf) and crypto at a later stage, this with China and Iran(other China clients states in Asia will follow later, idem for Eurasian Union and SCO).
Focus on BRICS if possible(high possibility in Brazil of the return in power of pro RUS Lula in 2022),India will be more difficult to catch but Pakistan will be ok.
Give an ultimatum to Jerusalem(which de facto control neocons, all jews), to stop attacks on RUS via US/UK/NATO/EU. Remind net and yahoo that he only wins an election down there with Russian and Belorussian votes(1.5 million of the 7 millions in age to vote).
If necessary evacuate Russians who want so from the diaspora for imminent security reason.
Tell Russians it is very risky to travel to US and western countries even more to buy real estate,shares, dollars, companies, boats, cars etc as they may be seized at any moment without justification.
They can also end up in jail for any reason.
False flags in Russia are almost a certainty.
Prepare alert exercises in RUS main cities. I’m sure all nukes are on full alert for months.
Close fifth column fake news providers( dojd tv, echo moscow, pro western papers, Moscow times owned by the Dutch Gov….)
Expel all foreign radio, tv, journalists, tv etc….sleeping spies
Give ultimatum to Brussels if a single more sanction is taken it will have serious consequences including militarily. They have no balls they will capitulate and divide the EU and NATO coalition even more between russophobes and older bigger countries from former EU (the big six).
Same action for the UK, payback finaly for Skripal, Navalny, MH17, White Helmets, fake chem attacks in Syria, various false flags etc…
Russia’s ambassador: London has long decided to view ties with Moscow as confrontational
The diplomat stated it was impossible to talk about any changes in bilateral relations.
https://tass.com/politics/1279289
On the ME front, greater isra hell folks prepare more attacks under fake OPCW pretexts in Syria and Net and yahoo is mad about attacking Iran:
Russia’s UN envoy urges West to avoid repetition of past mistakes in Syria
https://tass.com/world/1279281
https://tass.com/world/1279273
Assassinations, subversive acts won’t stop Iranian nuclear program — presidential office
https://tass.com/world/1279309
Iran’s uranium enrichment not conductive to talks – Biden
https://tass.com/world/1279321
US attorney general, FBI director banned from entering Russia — Foreign Ministry
Besides, entry is barred for John Bolton, former US National Security Adviser and Permanent Representative to the UN, and to Robert Woolsey, the former CIA director.
They forgot: Brennan, Clapper, Pompeo, S Power, Nuland Kagan, T Cruz, Graham
Although I’d like those retaliatory sanctions to take place. It would be seen as a “KGB crackdown” & a statement that Moscow is ready to put the rabid Washington dog down. Tit for tat is the only solution.
Mightn’t it be useful, t hough, to put those ideas out there? Not drawing lines in sand, but describing lines that might be drawn but (“We are diplomats”) are not being drawn . . . just now . . .
Given the pathological cluelessness or maybe just pathology of USA “policy-makers,”
it might not have dawned on any of them how far this thing still has to go . . .
Or is surprise better?
I tend to think not, unless one is willing to escalate very fast.
Give the reasonable head something to argue with?
Katherine
During these “crisis” moments, folks tend to take their eye off the big picture–strategy and goals.
Putin has goals. He has strategies to achieve them.
He’s not into these petty actions of the Empire. The InfoWar doesn’t occupy his thinking. The sanctions have been rendered weak soup. Even accusations he is a killer is water off a duck’s back.
Putin intends to fracture NATO. Putin wants the Ukraine broken. Putin wants Russia’s sphere of influence to mirror most of the USSR’s. He’s huge in the ME. He’s been in Africa for several years with real significance in Egypt and Algeria. He’s a major force in the East Asia zone. And Russia is significant in Latin America with Cuba and Venezuela and Nicaragua and the Left of Brazil, and Argentina.
His methods are diplomacy and military assistance, training and weapons sales.
His credibility and word is golden. Putin and Russia can be counted on.
Russia forgives debts of poor nations.
The big game is Eurasian Integration, strategic coordination with China, defense of Iran, friendship with scores of nations that were part of the USSR or cheerleaders from the non-aligned movement who still need and want a multi-polar international solution to global issues.
Putin has Russia far out in front. The US is degraded, atrophying, and stumbling about. It no longer “leads”. The US is trying to catch up. To who? To Russia. Russia has been winning.
We just saw this hot crisis cool down fast because up close and personal, staring at Shoigu’s military across the border from the proxy 404 Ukraine, it was clear to anyone with half a brain (and the West specializes in half-brained officials) that an attack on Russia was military suicide. The Russians could roll up Ukraine in days and if anyone joined the skirmish they would lose their men and machines as rapidly as the clueless Ukies.
Putin has NATO set for a big fall. It may come in the Arctic. Norway is itching like Poland itches and the US wants to take the Arctic from Russia. Another wet dream by Washington.
Putin is facing an opponent that is a very slow learner, irredeemably stupid, and ill-equipped to take on Russia anywhere, Arctic, Black Sea, Ukraine, or you name the place Russia has an interest in.
Putin has a SuperPower nation. Understand his goals and strategies, and you will see why the “sanctions” game is play for children and the half-brainers. Russians barely can be bothered to “answer” the silly moves of the Hegemon. Biden’s ‘national emergency’ is not about Russia. It’s about the catastrophe of the US crashing economically and losing its mojo as unipolar power.
Putin is eating popcorn as Biden sweats the small stuff. The US, it appears, doesn’t know what the hell has happened to it geopolitically. Empires are always the last to know when it’s over.
Hello Larch,
I agree.
However, do not underestimate the Anglo-zionists(AZN’s). After the collapse of USSR, the AZN’s thought Russia was finished and hence they focused their attention in Middle East/Afghanistan from 1991/2001 till now. In the meantime Russia got President Putin and he “saved” Russia from disintegration. Russia got 20-30 years of reprieve. Watch AZN’s wrap up/pack up from ME/Afghanistan to come after Russia (and China) like a pack of hounds.
President Putin is pious and is guided by his faith and AZN’s have finally found a match in him. They are going after him left and right – recently calling him a “soul-less killer” and sanctioning Russia and bringing NATO to Russia’s doorstep.
President Putin did say – when the fight is inevitable, always strike first. That time is coming close when the gloves will be off and it will be interesting to see what President Putin and Russia does to its enemies.
– Cheers
To Larchmonter445
My dear friend ( I am using the same sentiment as the Auslander!) because I feel same connection to you, and I just want to say – my heart goes out to you, living in a country where you are surrounded by total ignorance and imbecility. I believe you reside in the USA? Must be soul-destroying to see it all around you, and at the same time to try and keep a functioning brain! What’s more, a sublimely analitical one! This your analysis on Russia and it’s President does not need anything added to it, it is absolutely spot on, but for most Americans – they are absolutely not interested in the slightest! Here is an example – sometimes I check out James Kunstler blog, mainly for the American content – that’s all he knows. This time he put a link (believe it or not!) to the latest Dmitry Orlov post re Ukraine, (obviously reads him), and what response did he get from his, (mostly American) “community” of readership with regard to Dmitry’s post? Crickets! Just for the curiousity sake I glanced thru the comments under this his latest post and not even one single comment has shown that someone has actually followed that link! Every comment was about their own s..t that they live in now. They are absolutely not interested to know what happens outside of their USA.. And he has on average of up to 900 comments under each of his posts with thousands and thousands of readers. What does that tell you? Ignorance, and the actual laziness to find out more than what one hears on their so-called news – that is something truly shocking! And this very ignorance is going to bring them exactly what they are fearing most.. How on earth can one get thru to these delusional and absolutely stunted minds?!
Hi, Katrina,
Re “Here is an example – sometimes I check out James Kunstler blog, mainly for the American content – that’s all he knows. This time he put a link (believe it or not!) to the latest Dmitry Orlov post re Ukraine, (obviously reads him), and what response did he get from his, (mostly American) “community . . . ” ”
Very interesting post.
I too check out the Kunstler blog, and it is always entertaining. And Kunstler pretty much mirrors my own thinking as a former committed Dem who is now in horror of the Dem Party. Although I was not a Trump supporter I also hated Hillary—and the process of “defenestrating” him thoroughly sickened me, starting with the first week after his 2016 win, and converted me away from any kind of identifying with the Dem Party. So, Kunstler is worth my time to read.
So, I too noticed the mention of and link to Orlov—I had already read Orlov’s contribution on the subject of Ukraine plus watched his interview with the fellow in Geneva, Giorgio some thing. Maybe Kunstler just recently twigged to the existence of Dmitri Orlov (funny bc I think Orlov lived not far from Kunstler in the USA). Kunstler retailed Orlov’s idea of evacuating ethnic Russians from the Dombass pretty much whole cloth. That tells me that this whole subject area is new to Kunstler. That is, he just accepted the idea and didn’t really discuss it. So I assume his knowledge of the situation in UK is neither broad nor deep.
I can log in to comment at ClusterFuck Nation (Kunstler’s blog) but rarely do, because the comments/discussion just aren’t that interesting. There is definitely a “community” there, but a “provincial” one in terms of their interests. There is a lot of personal back-and-forth.
Kunstler is a very intelligent, talented fellow who is righteously angry and can also be very funny. A good combination. You are right that he has focused his ire and sardonic wit on the American scene, especially the built environment. Check out his “atrocity of the month” essays on built America. Spot on, funny, and you don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I think he is right, generally, that the ugliness of the American built environment reflects all that is worst in our culture and society, and also affects us unconsciously every day, robbing us of the inspiration of being surrounded by beauty and genuine cultural achievements of beautiful cities and countryside. The covid mess, however you define “mess,” has proved him prescient in spades regarding what he wrote years ago and he has not changed his prognosis: Get out of urban America and find a small community to become part of. That is exactly what he has done. . . He rarely steps into the comment thread at his blog, but I guess he does read it or else he would never step in at all.
Perhaps this is OT, but I do think it is a good thing if someone as clever/angry/witty as Kunstler starts to widen his purview. In a way Kunstler, with his basic long-ago insight that social collapse is coming to the USA, is a philosophical first cousin of Orlov, but with a different area of expertise.
Apologies if this is too far OT.
Katherine
Kunstler’s ” basic long-ago insight that social collapse is coming to the USA”
which he dubbed “the long emergency” and wrote a book of that name.
Katherine
Kunstler and Orlov have known each other for years
This conversation has gone completley off-topic – please take to the Cafe. Any further will go to trash. Mod.
To Katherine
Kunstler is indeed an intelligent man, with brilliant command of language and the wicked sense of humour; unfortunately he is also an example of very “American” conditioning, which obviously can afflict even intelligent people there. A while ago I have removed his blog from my bookmarks – that was after he unashamedly cheered up General Suleimani’s murder, which was carried out on Trump’s orders. That display on Kunstler part had absolutely sickened me. It is only in the last couple of months I went back to get a closer picture of what was happening in USA, with their “hologram President” – Kunstler does give one a very good close up picture of that place, with the commentry worthy of George Carlin.
As for his “Eyesore of the Month” – it is a much needed excercise on his part, for others to see what monstrosity sometimes get erected. Being in a field of creating build environment myself, as an architect, to me, it is fascinating to observe what others can come up with! And some can truly leave you speechless..
Many of us are laying low, knowing what comes next
Here goes something which may be very disturbing and distressing for Russian citizens living abroad and for Russia’s economic interests as well, but that would bring a huge symbolic and psychological impact:
Moscow to issue a warning addressed to all Russian citizens living in the US and in the NATO countries, to come back to Russia unless it is absolutely essential to stay, to send back all their family members, and to be prepared to promptly come back if required.
So Russia is reputed to be a rogue state intent on waging war on poor defenceless people. Whereas the US and its minions are spreading democracy, freedom and liberty around the world. Please see the US record below.
After world war II, the major US mostly wars (of choice) took place, in: Korean War (1950-53), Vietnam War (1960-75), Bay of Pigs Invasion (19610), Grenada (1983), U.S. Invasion of Panama (1989), Persian Gulf War (1990–1991), Intervention in Bosnia and the Herzegovina (1995–1996), Invasion of Afghanistan still continued (2001), Invasion of Iraq (2003–2011), Somalia and Northeastern Kenya (2007–present), Operation Ocean Shield (Indian Ocean) (2009–2016), Intervention in Libya (2011), Lord’s Resistance Army Uganda (2011–2017), U.S.-led Intervention in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (2014–2017), U.S.-led intervention in Syria (2014–present), Yemeni Civil War (2015–present), and U.S. intervention in Libya (2015–present). And so on and so forth. No further comment needed. Hmmm, seems a very strange way to spread freedom and democracy.
I think it was the Irish-American element, Biden and Samantha Power, who fashioned the term R2P (Responsibility to Protect) this quickly transmuted into 1. (R2B) Responsibility to Bomb, 2. (R2S) Responsibility to Sanction, 3. (R2S*) Responsibility to Starve, 4. (R2A) Responsibility to Assassinate, 5. (R2I) Responsibility to Invade.
* Please see the lovely lady Madeleine Albright in connection with (R2A)
Robert Blum wrote the definitive list of US interventions and if i remember correctly, just the major ones total some 60 invasions. Nations such as Haiti have even been ‘visited’ several times…
US destabilisation efforts follow on in partnership with those of the UK and France…so one can add for example the UK invasion of Iraq in 1935 and the assassination of Mossadeq in Iran Churchill is on record as stating that “without the stolen Iranian oil, Britain could not have enjoyed the high standard of living that it had from 1920 to 1940.”
Madeleine Albright is known for two statements. i paraphrase>
“The death of 500,000 Iraqi children was worth it”
“Russia is being unfair, it has all those resources and is not willing to share them with us.”
The US plans to put pressure on Russia/Iran/China in every way short of all out war in the hope that it will provoke regime change sentiments that they can exploit and get a regime which allows tham to loot these places. They know they would loose a direct war which is why there hasn’t already been one. More of the same is what you can expect.
The US embassy personel must clean their own toilets now. How humilating, they are used to let others clean up their sh..t for them.
The removal of NGOs is by far the biggest step. It is way overdue, and has impact. Hopefully they remove all of them. But, this process will not be complete until oligarchs’ hold on the press is also loosened. It is a good idea to start enforcing things only after NS2 is completed 6 weeks from now.
We can lay out Putin’s goals and strategies as Larchmonter has so wonderfully done in this thread. And that is all perfectly valid and clear-eyed.
The one thing though that must not be forgotten is the warfare model. It is not that the empire wants to make war, it is that the empire is war – it is what they are – it is their ethos and their operating system – it is what their economic systems are built on and their actions In this model is where we find empire’s goals and strategies.
What we see here is the continuation of the warfare model and a massive fight for the continued supremacy of the USDollar. Just this morning in from Tass:
US views Russia’s countermeasures as escalation, reserves right to respond — DoS
https://tass.com/world/1279307
They do not want to de-escalate – they want to keep this at a simmer at various levels of ‘hotness’, and on various fronts and in various theaters, for as long as they can in order to maintain dominance. They also do not want to become productive human beings in our world. They would rather raid others. That is their goal and their strategy is perpetual warfare of any kind. Who was it that said the business of empire is war? At this moment empire is playing a game of wack-a-mole between Russia, China and Iran mainly. They are heating up three fronts which is incredible and leaves me in a state of incredulity.
So, what should Russia do? And I’ve just read the major Chinese responses and they are not falling for wack-a-mole. As the empire wacks, the mole does not obediently go back into its hole. Ditto for Russia. This time is over.
We are now in the depths of the fight for multi-polarity in our world. It may go hot fast – it depends on the elegance of the resistance countries in avoiding the hot phase. And it is Hobson’s choice – the two options are taking it, or taking nothing.
I don’t believe the resistance is going to take it – so, it is up to the resistance to act in deep agreement in order to save our world from the current masters and take nothing – therefore breaking Hobson’s choice. This is easier said than done because the resistance has to take care of their own countries as well and the US/NATO are still skating on the perceived strength of the dollar.
If I put my futurist hat on (and I don’t even have one :-), we can expect hard and decisive breaking up of the dollar hegemony, which will break the warfare state and the model. Mr Lavrov repeated that over and over again for about six months or longer now. In his visit to China, this was clearly stated. In his major tour around the world – 20 countries or so – you can be assured that this was discussed. Breaking out of Hobson’s choice, and breaking out of the warfare model may break a few other things as well, so we will be in chaos for some time longer.
We may get very emotionally involved in this business of sanctions and counter-sanctions, and it is important. But in real, if one takes a look at the bigger game afoot (again go and read Larchmonter on this thread) it is the dogs barking and not the caravan that moves on.
I rest my case on the properties of the ‘warfare model’ and go just a tad off-topic – yet, the dogs still have a bite in them. It is up to the resistance to make the caravan move on.
China denounces US-Japan statement in which Washington vows to defend its Asian partner with NUCLEAR ‘capabilities’
https://www.rt.com/news/521347-us-japan-statement-nuclear/
(Caps not mine, but part of the heading.)
the most important element you have left out. the existential battle between unipolarity and multipolarity, between things as they are and things as they are becoming must be played out in the single venue neither side controls……….TIME.
time is the single factors beyond the control of either and the single factor that is now the most important factor against the continuation of unipolarity.
economic growth and innovation, social cohesion, gravitas and respect are ALL lined up with multipolarity in terms if present and future …TIME
because time is working for multipolarity and against unipolarity the west or rather washingtom is really battling against the most powerful force in the universe…….TIME.
each day its runs out a little more for hegemony. all russia and china need do is maintain peace and or keep war from going atomic and TIME will do the rest!
@tedrichard,
Concur. Putin is masterful with patience and calming, diplomatic moves–all of which are tools using Time.
I believe his dojo work teaches this. And then there is his wisdom, historic view of all matters and legalistic disposition.
While the Empire fills the air with lies and threats, Putin remains silent, the Kremlin soothes the conflict with sweet nothings about the “Summit” Biden needs.
Yes, I concur with both. But, it is not that only one side that understands this. The hegemon knows this as well, and in all these moves we see now, they are wanting to deprive the other side of just as you say here .. time – because their own time is running out. Thanks for the addition. Its somewhat like dancing on the edge of a sword.
Amarynth,
Imagine the Chinese who suffered massive crimes against humanity and war crimes of extraordinary scale at the hands of Imperialist Japan who occupied their country for near two decades. Unit 731 in Harbin, a notorious biolab and death factory for which the Japanese paid little penalty post-war and the rape of Nanking are fresh in Chinese memory and knowledge.
The Japanese continue to provoke the Chinese (and Koreans) with their menacing plans of rearmament and their secret nuclear weapons development (Fukushima the secret locale?). Plus the callous dumping of radioactive waste water into the Pacific.
Now, Biden, deprived of common sense, threatens the Chinese with the Japanese military backed with nuclear weapons.
The netizens in China immediately reacted with black humor by urging North Korea to test its latest weapons on their common enemy, Japan.
If polled, I would imagine 99.9% of Chinese consider Biden’s words as an existential threat and an insult that is unforgivable.
Like his insult to Russia and Putin, Biden now insults all Chinese in the most direct way.
The decline of the US is gaining momentum. And very dangerous to all.
Straight jackets and electric shock therapy are in order. Biden is a very loose cannon.
Obviously his brain surgeries excised gray matter need for rational behavior.
I’m watching Larchmonter445. The Cuban missile crisis was a filly in terms of what we now see rolling down. I have some correspondents from China, and the feeling is (same as Russia), if it is the time, let’s roll because there is no way that we will be left without our own air to breathe and our own country to live in and we will not live in bondage. The groundswell opinion in China is cohesive and coherent. I’ll include this use of language in the next short China sitrep, but they are using the word ‘sin’, that the US is sinning or doing sins, which is weird for them.
So those netizens were being facetious when they said that?
US State Department response to Russian counter measures was issued with this particular phrase:
“It is not in our interest to get into an escalatory cycle, but we reserve the right to respond to any Russian retaliation against the United State”.
I hope the mind-boggling, actual hubris of this statement is not escaping our readers? What this basically said is “We can do whatever we want to you, Russia, but if you dare to retaliate, we “reserve the right to respond to any Russian retaliation”! Beyond belief..
As Larchmonter pointed out – they live in their own world, in their own bubble, where quite obviously, nothing intelligent can thrive. This is the people Russia and it’s Diplomats have to deal with! God helps us.
Katerina
‘Been there done that’…it is all quite obvious to the average – more intelligent – reader … and it all does not surprise us anymore…we heard the same patronising arrogance towards Russia come from Obama at the start of the Syrian intervention of Russia, when Obama introduced sanctions and wagged his finger on the podium at Russia.
Same policies…same language = same Deep State players handling the sock-puppet in the White House.
Russian answer is OK.
The most important is that american NGO are banned in Russia. I do not know why Russia did not ban them before this but OK, better than never.
And this decision that Russian citizens cannot work for US embassy is good …very good
Forcing US diplomats to do their own IT support (remember the ban also extends to *third* nationalities as well, so those Wipro, Cognizant and Infosys employees can pack their bags and leave) is a stroke of genius, and it means they will be far less effective.
Mir fehlt momentan leider das Thempo der Entwicklung und ein Maßstab.
Auf jede Sanktion das 2fache als Antwort.
Möglichst schnell auf die Palme treiben und kurz vorm explodieren Goldstandard einführen😂
Die haben sich verzettelt, zu viele Baustellen.
translation … mod
Unfortunately, I currently lack the thempo of development and a yardstick.
2 times the answer to each sanction.
Drive as fast as possible on the palm and shortly before exploding gold standard introduce 😂
They got bogged down, too many construction sites.
It’s long past the time when Putin should desist from referring to Western heads as ‘ partners.’ They have made it abundantly clear on numerous occasions that they don’t see Russia as an equal partner. Putin need not be gratuously rude, but I would recommend that he refers to them as ‘our Western counter-parts.’ Of course, countries that treat Russia with respect can continue to be considered ‘ partners.’
China is going for the gold or digital backed with gold
and so far is proving a loyal partner.
The Middle Kingdom has just opened its borders to billions of dollars of gold imports. This is one big reason why the USA considers Russia’s countermeasures as escalation.
Regarding Putin’s quote, how else would you squeeze the Americans economically at least not to this degree?
‘There are also other options. Of course, we realise that we are limited in our ability to squeeze the Americans economically as they have us. However, we have some resources in this respect and they will also be used if Washington chooses to follow the path of spiraling sanctions.’
Excerpt, also note gold is’a corresponding mechanism’.
/foreign-minister-sergey-lavrovs-remarks-and-answers-to-media-questions-following-talks-with-foreign-minister-of-china-wang-yi-guilin-march-23-2021/
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following talks with Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi, Guilin, March 23, 2021
Question: How does Russia plan on moving away from using international payment systems controlled by the West? Are there any specific agreements with China to create a common system as opposed to the Western ones? What can it be based on? Russia’s Mir card or China’s UnionPay system?
Sergey Lavrov: This work has been underway for quite a long time now in different areas. We have our own financial messaging system. The respective financial departments of Russia and China plan to expand its use.
For many years now we have been trying to transfer trade to settlements in national currencies. There’s a corresponding mechanism which is quite effective. We are switching to the national currency in our trade with other major partners.
This is the imperative of our time. The people behind the global monetary system suddenly decided they were unhappy with the way other countries, in particular China, are using this system. China is beating the West at its own game. Hence, the reaction of the United States. Wang Yi covered this in detail. You cannot do global business by means of ultimatums and sanctions, or force other countries to behave as expected of them. We have a proverb: You can’t force your love on another person. Unfortunately, the United States has not learned this and is acting from the opposite position.
China opens its borders to billions of dollars of gold imports – sources
Reuters Reuters
Friday April 16, 2021 12:17
Kitco NewsShare this article:
* China is world’s biggest gold consumer
* Demand collapsed during pandemic but now recovering
* Central bank allows biggest imports since COVID – sources
* About 150 tonnes to be shipped in April/May – sources (Adds context, analyst quote)
By Xiao Han, Peter Hobson and Swati Verma
excerpt….
BEIJING/LONDON/BENGALURU, April 16 (Reuters) – China has given domestic and international banks permission to import large amounts of gold into the country, five sources familiar with the matter said, potentially helping to support global gold prices after months of declines.
The size of the shipments signals China’s dramatic return to the global bullion market.
Reporting by Xiao Han in Beijing, Peter Hobson in London, Swati Verma and Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Veronica Brown, Shri Navaratnam and David Clarke
https://www.kitco.com/news/2021-04-16/China-opens-its-borders-to-billions-of-dollars-of-gold-imports-sources.html
Zerohedge has more, nice link with charts.
This is a warning shot for the US to back off or gold backed currency will be used. The US needs to retreat and of course attempt to save face. It will be interesting to see what happens next.
“However, we have some resources in this respect and they will also be used if Washington chooses to follow the path of spiraling sanctions.” Putin
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/china-readying-gold-backed-yuan
I rarely post an entire news article, but since this needs translation for some, I offer this because it is comprehensive and detailed. It shows clearly some of the Russian actions are sharp and biting.
“Russia to leave US Embassy without electricians and secretaries
American diplomats in Russia will receive the same conditions as Russian diplomats in the United States.”
April 17, 2021, 14: 00
RIA Novosti
Text: Evgeny Krutikov
American diplomats in Moscow will be subject to the same measures that the USSR imposed on the United States as early as 1972, at the height of the Cold War. In fact, the restrictions imposed by Russia are absolutely identical to those already imposed by America against Russian diplomats in the United States. However, Washington is sure to see them as a new increase in the stakes in the diplomatic war with Moscow. Why?
Moscow has decided on retaliatory measures against the United States after Washington’s latest sanctions package, which included the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats.
First, Ambassador John Sullivan has been advised to leave Moscow until better times. In fact, the 1961 Vienna Convention does not provide for the expulsion of foreign ambassadors. An ambassador can be declared persona non grata, which is usually caused by his personal actions, and not by bilateral relations between countries. But you can’t send it directly.
Nevertheless, practice suggests that when such a thing is “recommended”, it is better to leave after all. Moreover, Ambassador Sullivan was informed about this in advance in a conversation with Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. After all, there are many ways to make the stay of a foreign diplomat, even an ambassador, in the host country such that he will simply not be able to fulfill his duties.
At the same time, the very fact of calling the ambassador to the Foreign Ministry is not something extraordinary. This is a common communication procedure, one of the forms of diplomatic activity. Just recently, this gesture itself has become associated with something hostile, although initially it is not so. But Sullivan and the State Department in general should have understood that if the situation in Russian-American relations did not suddenly change dramatically for the better in the coming days, then in any case he would have to leave Moscow.
Secondly, ten American diplomats will be expelled from Russia, which mirrors the point of the new American package of sanctions. There is nothing surprising in this either.
Third, Moscow imposes a ban on hiring employees from among the citizens of the Russian Federation and third countries by the American Embassy and other missions. According to Minister Lavrov, this is also a mirror measure, since “we do not have such a practice.” The fact is that Americans around the world widely use hiring local residents in diplomatic missions for technical positions: translators, secretaries / secretaries, drivers, cooks, call center employees, and so on.
On this topic
Slutsky: Washington is responsible for the degradation of diplomatic relations with Russia
Ex-diplomat: Ban on hiring local staff will make the US Embassy howl
Moscow has threatened American businesses with “painful measures”.»
Paradoxically, this is an extremely critical position. For example, Americans are not inclined to learn foreign languages and without local translators and secretaries, they will not be able to translate and print any press release. Twitter will be closed, and this is the main way for the American embassy in Moscow to communicate with the outside world. Not to mention the unrecoverable problems with electrical wiring, dry cleaning, cleaning the premises and delivering children to school. A similar measure was already applied to them once in Soviet times in 1972, and two months later the State Department “requested peace”. Indirectly, of course, this will hit those Russian citizens who already work there, they will have to quit. For the most part, this is a very specific audience that expects to get a green card and then move to the United States.
Fourth, the remaining American NGOs and foundations associated with the embassy will definitely be closed. Sergey Lavrov did not say exactly who or what is meant, but we will find out soon. He only clarified that we are talking about organizations that ” directly interfere in the internal political life of Russia.”
Fifth, the practice of sending employees “on short-term business trips”to Russia by the US State Department is limited. Now no more than nine people a year on the basis of reciprocity. Previously, this practice meant that American citizens with diplomatic accreditation came to Moscow, but not as permanent employees of the embassy,but as “business travelers”. In fact, this was an uncontrolled increase in the number of American citizens enjoying diplomatic immunity, in excess of the informal norm of permanent accredited diplomats.
In addition, it is this category of “business travelers” that is most suspicious. In a hundred cases out of a hundred, such “temporary analysts”, “IT specialists” and even sometimes “electricians” turn out to be employees of the US special services. In recent years, there were several hundred such American “shift workers” a year, which more than doubled the diplomatic and other opportunities of the United States in Russia.
Sixth, the Russian Federation unilaterally terminates the 1992 Memorandum of Understanding on “Open Land”. According to this memorandum, employees of diplomatic missions of certain ranks (from adviser and below) must notify the relevant authorities of the host country about travel over a distance greater than within a radius of 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the host city. According to Sergey Lavrov, the American side often ignores this demand. The minister was particularly outraged by a recent trip to Central Russia by an employee of the US military attache’s office. From now on, all trips of American diplomats outside of Moscow will be considered on an individual basis.
The nuance here is that previously this rule was notifying, and not permissive. That is, the same American spy… an employee of the military attache’s office simply had to send a fax to the UPDC that from such to such a date he was going to kebabs closer to the Ukrainian border. And no one could stop him from doing it. It just “notified”. However, the Americans did not do this either. Now these applications will be “considered”.
Moscow also banned six top U.S. officials from entering Russia for life, including the head of the FBI, the head of national intelligence, the Attorney General, the head of federal prisons, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Assistant Secretary of Internal Affairs, as well as former National Security aide Bolton.
All these measures are absolutely mirrored in relation to the reality and atmosphere in which Russian diplomats in the United States have been living for a long time. This is simply equalizing the status of diplomatic workers in both countries. Take the same memorandum “on open land” and restrictions on travel of diplomats in the host country. Russian diplomats in Washington have been living in this regime for several years and have even devised a number of clever tricks to avoid the FBI’s surveillance of their movements. But in fact, the American side simply banned Russian diplomats from leaving Washington and New York without permission even during the first escalation of the” diplomatic war ” in 2016-18.
Another thing is that in the eyes of Washington, this will almost certainly look like an escalation and an increase in rates. In the US, any attempt at a sovereign response is perceived as an escalation. Meanwhile, Moscow is seriously considering the possibility of simultaneously expelling 150 American diplomats in order to actually equalize the number of diplomatic personnel.
The fact is that as a result of expulsions and the “consular war” of 2016-18, both the Russian Federation and the United States have 450 accredited employees each in the host country. But the American side also added 150 employees of the Russian mission to the UN in New York to the staff of the Russian Embassy in Washington. This automatically reduced the size of the embassy to 300 people. That is, the US diplomatic and other capabilities in Russia are now still 150 more people. The Russian mission to the UN does not deal with bilateral relations with the United States, so they should not be included in this “qualification”.
Such an exchange of blows can continue indefinitely, each time narrowing the range of opportunities for restoring dialogue between countries through diplomatic channels. It is worth remembering that Americans live in their own world, in which everything is colored in completely different colors than in the rest of the universe.
For example, on CNN, experts on the diplomatic crisis in the last few days are journalists who worked for 4-5 years in Moscow in the 1990s. And no one canceled the American Messiahship. It is impossible to explain to them that they started all this first and it’s time to stop. They believe that they are absolutely right, just as any Presbyterian preacher believes in the constant machinations of the devil. And a preacher’s dialogue with the devil is impossible by definition.
In addition, the quality of diplomatic rhetoric has radically changed in recent years.
Gone are the streamlined responses, phrases like “I need to consult with management” and “a wide range of issues of mutual interest were discussed,” whatever that means. Now the American side is cutting down the truth, which automatically raises the level of discussion, if you can call what has been happening in recent days.
In any case, a diplomatic war looks more serious than just an exchange of aggressive rhetoric and consular restrictions. In addition to the Russian Federation and the United States, there are also much more inadequate “participants in the world process” who are closely monitoring what is happening and can take it personally – for example, Ukraine.
The situation is really tense. You never know what they will come up with. After all, they also live in a separate, opaque world, where there is, for example, “Russian aggression” and “occupation of Crimea”. And if the wave of “war of embassies” and expulsions in theory can be stopped by force (on the basis of reciprocity), then Kiev’s actions cannot be guaranteed – and theoretically, Ukraine’s reaction to diplomatic tensions between Russia and the United States can provoke a much more serious mess.
https://vz.ru/politics/2021/4/17/1095068.html
Thanks Larchmonter445. Now we can only hope that everyone reads this with attention and that the quality level of the commentary reflects understanding.
In a fit of personal pique (and I’ve had a few of those), I really like the ban on employing local employees. Just ’cause most in the diplomatic corps will not be able to buy themselves a cup of coffee or a plate of Borscht. These local employees are frequently NGO types as well.
Generally, I like it.
4 Days till the 21st – then the real leader of the real free world being born now, will talk.
Thanks for the post….good to see more fully detailed implications.
How much of this is because of Biden and how much because of neocon hangers-on from the Obama and Trump administrations, those folks that brought us the coup in Ukraine and the war in Syria? The likes of “Cookie” Nuland and her husband Robert Kagan have had it in for Russia going way back to 965 when Sviatoslav I destroyed the Khazar city of Sarkel and its capital at Atil. Remember, Ukraine was the old Khazar stomping ground. The Ashkenazim have long memories.
https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4687881?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw&_101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw_languageId=en_GB
Mme Zakharova press briefing covering many areas on 15 April.
Russia is starting to move against foreign NGOs – this is good news.
Western NGOs softened up Armenia that led to the recent disastrous war.
Why not reduce the number of American diplomats to 300 right away, why not seize an American building in Russia? Wasn’t the hostile activity of American diplomats classified as terrorist?
I would say the best way to “sanction” the US would be for Russia to ban the use of the US dollar inside Russia,and in foreign trade with Russia. Many Russians hold US dollars which helps the US to spread the omnipotence of its currency in the World.I’ve even seen Russian movies where the thieves robbing banks would grab the US dollars and leave the Rubles behind.So even they follow that thinking about the US dollar.Make it a crime for the holding and usage of the USD in Russia.That only the Russian government can hold them for US/Russian trade(whatever there is of it). And only use or accept other currencies in Russia’s trade with other nations. The loss of that profit to the US would be enormous.
Not a bad idea – who wants to use a currency whose banknote denominations are printed in the same color and size (making them hard to tell apart), when Russian ruble note denominations are differentiated by color?