Skip to main content

Russia, US headed for new lows over terrorism, Syria

Despite claims that the Russian foreign minister's visit to Washington was genial and productive, by the time Sergey Lavrov landed back in Moscow, some of the areas of potential cooperation had already grown more snarled.
Russiaís Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hold a joint news conference at the State Department in Washington, U.S., December 10, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC2JSD9HZS8W

MOSCOW — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a one-day visit to Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. Lavrov was also received by President Donald Trump at the White House and spoke at the Center for the National Interest, a think tank established by Former President Richard Nixon that bills itself as “a voice for strategic realism in US foreign policy.”

In late September, Lavrov led the Russian delegation to the UN General Assembly summit in New York. He last visited Washington in May 2017, when his meeting with Trump in the White House produced allegations that the US president had passed along top-secret information that potentially jeopardized a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.