Speaking at the International Security Conference in Moscow on May 27, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned Europe they would be “digging their own graves” if they persisted in their attempt to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, noting that “a nuclear power cannot be defeated.”
He praised the Russia-China relationship, a relationship that “has no analogues, I think, even history.” Ryabkov indicated that while “extremely complex,” the US-Russia relationship is progressing while the Europeans are struggling to find their role in a changing world. “But in terms of responding to the challenges and tasks it actually faces, which are degenerating into an anti-Russian bacchanalia, time will tell how much this will help Europe find itself and become part of a certain ‘geometric figure,’ rather than being sucked into ‘funnel.’”
The diplomat made it clear that stabilizing the US-Russia relationship would be crucial in beginning to take the world off a war footing. Progress here was slow, [he added]( https://iz.ru/2103930/ryabkov-j-dialoge-rf-i-ssha-po-razdrazhitelyam-izi), “one teaspoon at a time… Slowly, yes, with a creak, very viscous, very difficult with complications, but still in some small ways, we are making slight progress.”
He noted that when Russia refers to the “Anchorage spirit,” it means the atmosphere of trust that existed between the two presidents when they met in Anchorage. He also referred to the message conveyed to President Trump through Secretary Rubio which clearly communicated Russia’s position with regard to Ukraine. “I won’t rehash the American reaction,” he told his listeners. “The State Department issued a press release on this matter. I can say that the Secretary of State carefully heeded all the signals sent by our minister.” The State Department release, however, was very pro forma, simply naming the topics discussed between the two, including a reference to the conflict in Ukraine. There were no details given of the nature of that discussion.
