FRENEMIES

Kerry Has ‘Frank Discussion’ With Putin

No breakthrough on Ukraine.

Secretary of State John Kerry described his meetings with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as “frank discussions” on issues such as Syria, Iran, and the Ukraine crisis. Kerry met with the Russian leaders for more than eight hours in the highest-level trip to Russia by a U.S. official since the Ukraine crisis began last April. At a press conference, Kerry and Lavrov vowed closer cooperation on Ukraine and Syria, while also warning Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to not attempt to win back the Donetsk Airport from rebels in eastern Ukraine. The two diplomats agreed any action would put the ceasefire in “serious jeopardy.”