MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington appear to be keeping diplomatic channels open as the US searches for a new approach to resolving the Ukraine conflict; the EU’s latest sanctions package reflects a compromise between tightening pressure on Russia and protecting the bloc’s own economic interests; and Germany’s approval of Russian-designed nuclear fuel production underscores Europe’s continued reliance on Russian nuclear technology. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Vedomosti: Lavrov-Rubio meeting signals tactical shift in Ukraine diplomacy
New ideas are needed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 23 following a 35-minute meeting with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, held on the sidelines of ASEAN ministerial events in Manila. On its official website, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the meeting with Rubio as "a substantive exchange of views on a broad range of bilateral and international issues." Experts interviewed by Vedomosti believe that while the Lavrov-Rubio meeting shows that both sides are still committed to diplomacy, Washington is pivoting to a new approach to negotiations, given the failure of previous efforts.
