REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
On Saturday, right before a U.N. Security Council vote to declare Sunday's referendum in Crimea invalid, American ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power went over to speak with Russian ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin.
As you can see, Power is slightly animated while Churkin is straight-faced. Two members of Churkin's staff, standing behind the ambassadors, are laughing.
Russia subsequently vetoed the draft resolution. Now armed men, presumably Russian soldiers, control the strategic Black Sea peninsula while the referendum is carried out.
The Kremlin has made a habit of vetoing UNSC resolutions, particularly those with regards to the ongoing war in Syria. With regards to both Syria and Crimea, U.S. diplomats have pushed for political solutions while Russia has largely stifled them.
Here's what geopolitical expert Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group had to say about the picture:
At the UN, Russia's views of American diplomacy on full display. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/PUgAMrEGwW
- ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) March 16, 2014