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| U.S. and Russia Hit Diplomatic Roadblock Trying to Start Ukraine Talks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s effort to solicit Russia’s help to defuse the crisis in Ukraine hit a roadblock on Monday when Secretary of State John Kerry delayed an anticipated trip to Russia and the two sides issued dueling accounts of their recent diplomacy. | |
| Apparently in an effort to portray the United States as the intransigent party, the Kremlin took the unusual step of televising a brief exchange between President Vladimir V. Putin and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, in which they complained that Mr. Kerry had spurned an invitation to come to Russia for consultations. | Apparently in an effort to portray the United States as the intransigent party, the Kremlin took the unusual step of televising a brief exchange between President Vladimir V. Putin and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, in which they complained that Mr. Kerry had spurned an invitation to come to Russia for consultations. |
| The State Department responded by rushing out a statement saying that it was the Russians who were not prepared to engage in discussions on the United States’ proposals, especially the idea that they meet with officials from the new Ukrainian government. | The State Department responded by rushing out a statement saying that it was the Russians who were not prepared to engage in discussions on the United States’ proposals, especially the idea that they meet with officials from the new Ukrainian government. |
| “We are still awaiting a Russian response to the concrete questions that Secretary Kerry sent Foreign Minister Lavrov on Saturday in this regard,” Jen Psaki, a State Department spokeswoman, said in a statement. | |
| The administration’s efforts to enlist Russia’s support involved several phone calls by President Obama to Mr. Putin. But it moved into high gear last week when Mr. Kerry went to Europe and met with Western foreign ministers, Ukrainian officials and Mr. Lavrov, twice. | The administration’s efforts to enlist Russia’s support involved several phone calls by President Obama to Mr. Putin. But it moved into high gear last week when Mr. Kerry went to Europe and met with Western foreign ministers, Ukrainian officials and Mr. Lavrov, twice. |
| The basic Western strategy was to form a “contact group” that would include the United States, European nations, Russia, Ukraine and international organizations. That would be a way, American officials calculated, to hammer out a common strategy on Ukraine and to bring Russian and Ukrainian officials together for their first face-to-face meeting on the crisis. | The basic Western strategy was to form a “contact group” that would include the United States, European nations, Russia, Ukraine and international organizations. That would be a way, American officials calculated, to hammer out a common strategy on Ukraine and to bring Russian and Ukrainian officials together for their first face-to-face meeting on the crisis. |
| But Russia has not accepted the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian government, and Mr. Lavrov has never agreed to sit in the same room with his Ukrainian counterpart. | But Russia has not accepted the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian government, and Mr. Lavrov has never agreed to sit in the same room with his Ukrainian counterpart. |
| Within the Obama administration, the view was that Mr. Lavrov lacked the diplomatic leeway to change policy. So American officials developed a strategy to engage Mr. Putin. | Within the Obama administration, the view was that Mr. Lavrov lacked the diplomatic leeway to change policy. So American officials developed a strategy to engage Mr. Putin. |
| On Thursday, Mr. Obama told Mr. Putin that Mr. Kerry was prepared to hold further talks with Mr. Lavrov on how a contact group might work, according to an American official who declined to be identified because the official was discussing diplomatic exchanges. On Friday, Mr. Kerry presented the Russian foreign minister with a one-page paper that outlined American and European ideas for solving the crisis, a paper that Mr. Lavrov could present to Mr. Putin. | On Thursday, Mr. Obama told Mr. Putin that Mr. Kerry was prepared to hold further talks with Mr. Lavrov on how a contact group might work, according to an American official who declined to be identified because the official was discussing diplomatic exchanges. On Friday, Mr. Kerry presented the Russian foreign minister with a one-page paper that outlined American and European ideas for solving the crisis, a paper that Mr. Lavrov could present to Mr. Putin. |
| That same day, Mr. Lavrov invited Mr. Kerry to Sochi, Russia, where he could see Mr. Putin, who was there for the Paralympic Games. Mr. Kerry indicated that he would consider the idea. | That same day, Mr. Lavrov invited Mr. Kerry to Sochi, Russia, where he could see Mr. Putin, who was there for the Paralympic Games. Mr. Kerry indicated that he would consider the idea. |
| Even as the invitation was made, however, American officials became concerned that Russia was doubling down in Crimea. Encouraged by Russia, the local Parliament was pushing for secession, a move endorsed by leading Russian lawmakers. To American officials, the hope for a diplomatic breakthrough appeared to be undercut by Russian actions on the ground. | Even as the invitation was made, however, American officials became concerned that Russia was doubling down in Crimea. Encouraged by Russia, the local Parliament was pushing for secession, a move endorsed by leading Russian lawmakers. To American officials, the hope for a diplomatic breakthrough appeared to be undercut by Russian actions on the ground. |
| In a Saturday morning call with Mr. Lavrov, Mr. Kerry emphasized that Russian steps to annex Crimea would close the window for more diplomacy. Later that day, the State Department sent Mr. Lavrov a page-and-half document with a series of questions that were intended to see whether the Kremlin was receptive to the United States’ proposals before Mr. Kerry traveled to meet with Mr. Putin. | |
| American officials wanted to know if Russia would cease its military advances in Crimea, rein in Crimean militias and also work with the contact group on steps like an International Monetary Fund program to stabilize the Ukrainian economy and a countrywide election. They also wanted Russia to halt moves to annex the Crimean Peninsula, and were looking for signs that Russia would be willing to return their troops to their barracks, allow international monitors to work in Crimea and, importantly, meet with new Ukrainian government, either directly or as part of a contact group. | American officials wanted to know if Russia would cease its military advances in Crimea, rein in Crimean militias and also work with the contact group on steps like an International Monetary Fund program to stabilize the Ukrainian economy and a countrywide election. They also wanted Russia to halt moves to annex the Crimean Peninsula, and were looking for signs that Russia would be willing to return their troops to their barracks, allow international monitors to work in Crimea and, importantly, meet with new Ukrainian government, either directly or as part of a contact group. |
| Russia never responded officially to the questions. Yet an answer of sorts came on Monday when, to the surprise of the State Department, Russian television carried the short video clip of Mr. Putin and Mr. Lavrov. | |
| Mr. Putin said that he had authorized Mr. Lavrov to invite Mr. Kerry to Russia. Mr. Lavrov responded that he had expected Mr. Kerry to arrive as early as Monday for talks that could involve Mr. Putin himself. | Mr. Putin said that he had authorized Mr. Lavrov to invite Mr. Kerry to Russia. Mr. Lavrov responded that he had expected Mr. Kerry to arrive as early as Monday for talks that could involve Mr. Putin himself. |
| “But then on Saturday he called and said that he would like to postpone the trip for the moment,” Mr. Lavrov added, referring to Mr. Kerry. | “But then on Saturday he called and said that he would like to postpone the trip for the moment,” Mr. Lavrov added, referring to Mr. Kerry. |
| The Russian foreign minister went on to complain that the paper Mr. Kerry had given him on Friday cast Moscow as a belligerent and treated the establishment of the new Western-backed government in Ukraine as a “fait accompli.” | |
| “We are not just passively receiving our colleagues’ proposals,” Mr. Lavrov added. “Working together with the members of the Russian Federation Security Council, we have drafted some proposals of our own.” | “We are not just passively receiving our colleagues’ proposals,” Mr. Lavrov added. “Working together with the members of the Russian Federation Security Council, we have drafted some proposals of our own.” |
| Neither Mr. Putin nor Mr. Lavrov explained their proposals. But the thrust of their exchange, and the fact that the Kremlin chose to make it public in what seemed like an attempt to influence domestic and international opinion, underscored that there was no agreement between Moscow and Washington. | Neither Mr. Putin nor Mr. Lavrov explained their proposals. But the thrust of their exchange, and the fact that the Kremlin chose to make it public in what seemed like an attempt to influence domestic and international opinion, underscored that there was no agreement between Moscow and Washington. |
| At the State Department, Ms. Psaki issued a short statement outlining American conditions for more high-level talks. | At the State Department, Ms. Psaki issued a short statement outlining American conditions for more high-level talks. |
| “The United States needs to see concrete evidence that Russia is prepared to engage on the diplomatic proposals we have made to facilitate direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia and to use international mechanisms like a contact group to de-escalate the conflict,” she said. | “The United States needs to see concrete evidence that Russia is prepared to engage on the diplomatic proposals we have made to facilitate direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia and to use international mechanisms like a contact group to de-escalate the conflict,” she said. |