Former U.S. diplomat urges transatlantic unity ahead of Blinken's meeting with Lavrov

EVANSTON, Ill. — Ian Kelly, former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and ambassador-in-residence at Northwestern University, is available to speak with media ahead of Anthony Blinken’s meeting in Geneva on Friday with Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov as tensions grow over Ukraine.

Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern is also available. He is Crown Family Professor of Jewish Studies and professor of history and an expert on Ukrainian history at Northwestern.

Both can be reached by contacting Mohamed Abdelfattah at mohamed@northwestern.edu.

“Transatlantic unity in the face of Russian threats”
Said Kelly: “The sequencing of Secretary Blinken's meetings this week is important. He will see Lavrov after he's had meetings with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv and with Quad foreign ministers (UK, France and Germany) in Berlin. This will give Blinken a chance to coordinate in advance with our European allies and send a powerful message of transatlantic unity in the face of Russian threats against a sovereign European state.”

“If you dare attack Ukraine, our next meeting, Mr. Lavrov, will be in the Hague”
Petrovsky-Shtern said Blinken should have an assertive message for Lavrov. “We know that the Russian Federation has already approved the decision to invade Ukraine and is just waiting for a pre-arranged provocation as a pretext for a full-fledged invasion. You have successfully brainwashed your citizens convincing them that Ukraine has no reason to exist as an independent sovereign entity. And you have moved your troops to attack Ukraine from North, East and South. There is hardly anything that can stop you. The only thing you need to know is that you cannot deceive us and our allies in Europe. You bear full responsibility for your actions and you have to face consequences. If you dare attack Ukraine, our next meeting, Mr. Lavrov, will be in the Hague. In that case scenario, I do not envy either you or Mr. Putin.”