US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent trip to Sochi to meet with the Russian president and foreign minister has heads exploding. Many in the media, it seems, will not tolerate a shred of diplomacy with Russia.

By all indications Tuesday’s meetings in the Russian resort city of Sochi were productive, with both parties showing a desire for warmer relations. Pompeo told Russian FM Sergey Lavrov that President Donald Trump “is committed to improving this relationship.” But much of the mainstream media, to nobody’s surprise, was having none of it.

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes remains fixated on the Trump-Russia conspiracy theory, months after Robert Mueller’s seemingly endless investigation discredited it. Hayes saw the meetings as an opportunity to breathe new life into the idea of “collusion.”

For instance how best to work together to secure the president’s re-election? https://t.co/nvn03fMt3R — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) May 15, 2019

What else could they possibly discuss?

CNN’s coverage was no less hostile, with analyst Stephen Collinson musing that Russian President Vladimir Putin “got the last laugh,” taking advantage of hapless American leaders who are “tying themselves into knots” in Washington.

Putin smiles as Washington ties itself in knots over Russia | Analysis by @stcollinsonhttps://t.co/RlQVPESXvQpic.twitter.com/MYBewFWvN9 — CNN (@CNN) May 15, 2019

Even in its nominally hard news coverage, CNN chose to emphasize “red lines” and “warnings,” overshadowing the overall positive tenor of the meetings.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns Russia about election interference as he seeks a more "successful" relationship https://t.co/SSX9tgX7VFpic.twitter.com/0pEkGqGWas — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 14, 2019

US Sec. of State Mike Pompeo was clearly looking for a reboot with Russia in the resort city of Sochi. But in talks touching on nearly every flashpoint in US-Russian relations, geopolitical differences between Moscow & Washington remained as stark as ever https://t.co/NewoCGYwib — CNN International (@cnni) May 14, 2019

The usual Russiagate suspects have also joined the peanut gallery, egging on the secretary of state to pick a fight with the Russian officials.

When they meet in Russia tomorrow, Secretary Pompeo must make clear to Putin that the cost of trying to interfere with American elections will be dear. https://t.co/T7hscwkNJK — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 13, 2019

In his remarks at the beginning of his meeting with Pompeo, Putin sounded downright cheery about the prospects for improved US-Russia relations w/ Mueller Report done, provided, of course, that we forget about all of Putin's past belligerent actions. Don't take that trade ! — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) May 14, 2019

Though the meeting was cordial, FM Lavrov later warned that President Putin’s politeness should not be interpreted as weakness, adding that Moscow is open to talks but “will not make concessions” to the United States that “go against Russian interests.”



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