Russia and the United States have both adopted a position of neutrality in the growing dispute between a seemingly awkward coalition of theocratic and secular Arab states who have all cut diplomatic and many business ties with Qatar.
Saudi Arabia lead the charge accusing Qatar of sponsoring terrorism and meddling in other countries. This is a manifestly true accusation though it is even more readily applied to Saudi Arabia itself.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu are currently in Cairo meeting with their Egyptian counterparts Sameh Shoukry and Sedki Sobhy, respectively, in the so-called 2+2 format. This is the first such meeting since 2013.
During the talks, both sides spoke of how they can boost efforts to cooperate in the war against terrorism throughout the wider world including in both Egypt and Syria.
Reports have surfaced that under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine armed forces are using guided rockets to blast ISIS targets around the now ISIS occupied city of Marawi. As a consequence, many in western mainstream media are calling Duterte’s war excessive, even though the excessive horrors of the ISIS enemy are widely known.
Here’s what frightens liberals about a Duterte victory
1. ISIS is financed by drugs
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow to discuss a wide range of issues.
The two leaders have frequent meetings as part of Russia and China’s joined membership of the BRICS economic cooperation union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as well as discussions on China’s ‘One-belt–One road’ global trade and infrastructure project. The Russian organised Eurasian Economic Union also looks to play a major role in China’s future plans for modernising global trading mechanisms.
Russia and Philippines have concluded an agreement wherein the former will supply much needed modern military hardware to the East Asian country as well as cooperate on further defence and counter-terrorism measures as well as the war against drugs.
The wide ranging talks were described by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the following way,
Donald Trump has gone from Saudi Arabia where he was treated like a Sheik to Israel where Benjamin Netanyahu treated him like a kind of political Messiah.
Now though, Trump is in the less jolly European Union where he has met with EU officials ahead of a NATO summit in Belgium.
Trump had what was reportedly a less than jovial meeting with EU President Donald Tusk.
The Polish Donald said of his meeting with the American Donald,
Sergey Lavrov wrapped up a visit to Cyprus where the Russian Foreign Minister attended the 127th Ministerial Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the last event under Cyprus’ chairmanship of the CoE.
Lavrov also held bilateral talks with his counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.
While holding a joint news conference with Cypriot FM Kasoulides Lavrov commented on Turkish threats in Cyprus’ EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) where large deposits of natural gas are currently being researched for development…
Over the last few hours the Western media has filled with stories of how during their recent meeting in the Oval Office US President Donald Trump supposedly told Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov that former FBI Director James Comey was a “nut job”, which was why he dismissed him.
The story, which first appeared in the New York Times, is very specific
Sergey Lavrov has said that a New York Times story claiming that Donald Trump said that he fired James Comey because he was a ‘nut job’ and had impeded good relations with Russia is fake.
When asked to confirm the story which White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has not denied, Lavrov said,
“We did not touch on that topic (of Comey) at all”.
According to yet another leak from the Trump White House, The New York Times has published further details of the conversation Donald Trump had with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.
According to the New York Times, Trump said,
“I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job”.
Trump allegedly continued,
“I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.
I’m not under investigation”.
