Lavrov Scapegoated as Putin’s Miscalculations Unravel

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is being scapegoated for President Vladimir Putin’s failed political and diplomatic maneuvers and has been quietly pushed aside within the Kremlin, according to former Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie. Speaking on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend,” Wilkie accused Putin of rejecting three ceasefire offers from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that had been agreed upon with former U.S. President Donald Trump. “Putin is the one who rejected these deals, not Lavrov,” Wilkie asserted, emphasizing that Putin alone bears responsibility for the miscalculations.

Recent reports suggest Lavrov has been excluded from key Kremlin sessions and will not lead Russia’s delegation at major summits like the G20 in South Africa or BRICS meeting, Wilkie noted. He argued this signals a broader shift in Russian foreign policy, which he claims has alienated Western nations. “The hypocrisy of some Western European leaders, particularly French President Emmanuel Macron, is staggering,” Wilkie said, criticizing Macron’s influence over global governance.

Wilkie also highlighted the defense capabilities of smaller nations near Russia, citing Lithuania’s ability to deploy more troops than Germany and Britain combined. He criticized Western countries for relying on U.S. military support while failing to invest in their own defense systems. “These nations have built unsustainable social welfare states funded by American resources, now collapsing under their own weight,” he claimed.

The discussion also touched on a Turkish court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials, which Wilkie attributed to political motivations by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Erdogan is always a problem, seeking to appease Islamist factions within his country,” he said.