Ears of a Dead Donkey

Two reports that point to an obvious contradiction in the foreign policy of the current Russian leadership. From Mosnews, a clear indication that The Baltics Will Receive Nothing of [their] Territorial Claims:

“They will receive not Pytalovo (the territory of Pskov region close to the Latvian border), but ears of a dead donkey (ot mertvogo osla ushi, a Russian set expression meaning 'nothing'),” RIA-Novosti quoted Putin as saying.

At the same time, however, a report in Kommersant points out that last Friday the State Duma ratified a supplemental agreement between Russia and China on the border. At that moment, a part of Russian territory, including half of the island of Bolshoy Ussuriisky, officially became part of China.

It seems that for President Putin and the Russian State Duma some borders are more negotiable (and dispensable) than others.

(via Marius)