A rather nasty move by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He ordered the publication of his exchange of letters with his German and French counterparts @HeikoMaas and @JY_LeDrian. mid.ru/documents/1018….
Letters concern the prospect of having a Normandy meeting on the conflict in Ukraine. Lavrov refused to participate after Germany and France refused to endorse his proposed final document, which Ukraine would have to sign, and which contains questionable propositions.
For example, Ukraine would have to cancel some of its laws (on the national language, education, and rights of minorities). Ukraine would also be required to deal directly with the de facto authorities in Donbas and Luhansk (which is a long-standing Russian goal). 
Maas and Le Drian reject these preconditions as irrelevant, and demand unimpeded access for the OSCE mission. (Their proposed draft, in English, is also a part of Lavrov's release).
Lavrov claims that his reason for releasing confidential correspondence is because the Russian position has been "perverted", so he is seeking to appeal to the public. But of course, the release of these documents only shows just how unreasonable Russia's position actually is.
More interestingly, going for bust and publishing confidential correspondence (a very unusual move) suggests that Russia is shutting off dialogue. Who will want to talk to Lavrov on these issues or seek compromise if he violates good faith in this way? An odd move.
Anyway, looks kind of worrying (not that anything else Russia has been doing in relation to Ukraine in recent weeks looks any less worrying).
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