A-ha Moment!

Naryshkin, Director of SVR never says anything "just because". 

МОСКВА, 11 мая — РИА Новости. Глава Службы внешней разведки России Сергей Нарышкин не исключил контакты с директором ЦРУ в ближайшее время. "Исключать нельзя", — сказал он, отвечая на соответствующий вопрос для программы "Москва. Кремль. Путин", фрагмент которой опубликовал в своем Telegram-канале Павел Зарубин. Нарышкин и директор ЦРУ Уильям Бернс проводили личные переговоры в Анкаре в ноябре 2022 года. В январе в интервью РИА Новости глава СВР отметил пользу от контактов между спецслужбами. Он объяснил, что такой диалог способен предотвратить опасные события в условиях, когда обстановка в мире может подойти к очень рискованной черте. При этом Нарышкин подчеркивал, что они с Бернсом достигли взаимной договоренности не допускать утечек о переговорах между ними.

Translation: MOSCOW, May 11 – RIA Novosti. The head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, did not rule out contacts with the CIA director in the near future. “It cannot be ruled out,” he said, answering a corresponding question for the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” a fragment of which was published by Pavel Zarubin on his Telegram channel. Naryshkin and CIA Director William Burns held personal talks in Ankara in November 2022. In January, in an interview with RIA Novosti, the head of the SVR noted the benefits of contacts between the intelligence services. He explained that such dialogue can prevent dangerous events in conditions where the situation in the world may reach a very risky point. At the same time, Naryshkin emphasized that he and Burns had reached a mutual agreement not to allow leaks about the negotiations between them.

As I repeat ad nauseam--Russia will talk only with the US. EU is irrelevant here. The contacts, in this case, will be initially through intelligence orgs of Russia and the US. US desperately needs some sort of arrangements which may give it a sort of off-ramp, albeit even this is too late. But against the background of action on Kharkov axis, which is most likely one of several offensives along the whole frontline, the US finally figured out that it doesn't matter what she or her euro-chihuahuas do, the outcome is going to be the same--merely resign to reality and listen to conditions Russia will impose. VSU is currently on the run in Kharkov area, but most likely the objective is to move frontline further South-West. Nobody is going to be taking Kharkov--it will fall itself as a ripe fruit falls from the tree. Keep an eye on the South, towards Odessa. 

Per Mishustin's Cabinet--practically same team. Per Defense, Foreign, Internal, Justice and Emercom  Ministers and Director of FSB--these positions are prerogative of the President and he appoints those after consultations with Federation Council which will start on 13th. Now, poor Lavrov, he is like, Vladimir Vladimirovich, please, pretty pretty please, I am 74 and want to retire because I cannot stand those imbeciles from EU. We'll see about that. Lavrov is indispensable--a towering figure in world's diplomacy. Albeit Nebenzya or Ryabkov can fit the bill.