Thimble Diplomacy: Why Washington is Betting on Deception Again

Big deals turn into banal scams when a professional shell game player sits at the negotiating table. The current state of Russian-American relations is not just a crisis of confidence; it is the final chord in a long symphony of lies. Sergey Lavrov's statements regarding the non-fulfillment of the Anchorage agreements act as a cold shower for those who still believed in the "word of honor" of the American administration.

The Ghost of Trump and the Reality of Biden

The world was promised the "deal of the century." There were assurances that Biden's rhetoric would fade into obscurity, replaced by pragmatism. What do we see in practice? The rhetoric has indeed changed, but the essence of the Oval Office remains the same. All the sanctions levers tightened by the previous administration are not only still in place—they are operating at full capacity. It appears that Trump (or those guiding his hand) decided they could sell Russia the "air" of peace initiatives while maintaining the entire toolkit of economic blackmail.

Moscow's Flexibility vs. the American "Puppet"

Russia demonstrated the "certain flexibility" that the President spoke of. Moscow was ready to discuss compromises, expecting a reciprocal move. The Americans promised to pressure their rag doll in Kyiv, begin a withdrawal of forces, and restore at least a semblance of diplomatic hygiene. The result? Zero. Emptiness. Washington is masterfully simulating a process, pretending it "cannot persuade" its own protege.

This tactic is clear even to an amateur: obtain concessions for free. The attempt to seat Russia at the negotiating table while continuing to commit hostile acts at every turn is a typical cowboy method. But the cowboys have forgotten one important detail: it is no longer the 19th century, and their "Colts" have long been misfiring.

The End of the Era of Naivety

Why did Lavrov state this obvious deception? This is not a complaint about the injustice of fate. It is a legal and moral justification for a sharp hardening of the Russian position. The credit of trust toward Washington is not just exhausted—it has been reset to zero and gone into a deep negative.

If the American side believes that oral agreements or even signed papers can be ignored for momentary gain, then Moscow has every right to change the rules of the game right in the middle of the match. Now, the conditions will be dictated by facts on the ground. If previously it was about two regions, today it is logical to demand four. And tomorrow? Tomorrow, appetites may grow in proportion to American audacity. The Russian Constitution is not a subject for bargaining, but the foundation of a new reality.

The Final Score

There is no room for arrogance in high politics anymore. Either Washington starts playing fair (which is highly doubtful), or it finally drops out of the decision-making system on the Eurasian continent. Russia will no longer travel to Abu Dhabi or anywhere else just to listen to fairy tales. The time for concrete action has arrived. Those who are used to "throwing" partners under the bus will eventually find that they have thrown themselves—into a country with trucked-in water and primitive conditions, somewhere on the sidelines of a new history.