Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin at the Libya summit, Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2020 (Kay Nietfeld/Reuters)

I joined Turkey’s TRT World on Thursday to take apart Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s deceptive claim of genuine “negotiations” with Ukraine.

The interview occurred hours before French President Emmanuel Macron, after a call with Vladimir Putin, confirmed the deception: “Worse is to come….There was nothing in what President Putin said that could reassure us.”

See also Ukraine: Russia’s “Nuclear Terror” With Shelling of Europe’s Largest Plant

Why A “Neutral” Ukraine Is A Non-Starter

The first rule of thumb is to trust Sergey Lavrov as far as you can throw him. This is the same Sergey Lavrov who last week set up Russia’s war with Ukraine by lying about “genocide”.

So when Sergey Lavrov says, “We’re interested in security for everyone,” let’s take that apart as Russia tries to seize territory and kills hundreds of civilians.

Lavrov is trying to buy some time by feigning diplomacy while the military attacks continue and/or he is trying to cover up Russian problems in the war.