The West and its allies have provoked Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and never vice versa, mentioned Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov, utilizing a well-recognized justification for Moscow’s invasion.
“The extra they [the West and allies] discuss unprovoked aggression, the extra all people is satisfied it was provoked by them,” Lavrov informed reporters on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday.
“And it isn’t aggression, it’s [an] operation to defend the legit pursuits of Russian safety due to threats on Russia’s borders and to defend the Russian inhabitants in Donbas,” he added, utilizing one of many Kremlin’s widespread propaganda strains.
Lavrov additionally accused NATO and the European Union of interfering within the conflict in Ukraine.
“I consider NATO and the European Union have lengthy been contributors in a hybrid conflict in Ukraine, hybrid battle with their arms provides and coaching servicemen, and serving to with a considerable amount of intelligence, serving to with concentrating on,” he mentioned.
Regardless of talking out towards the West, Lavrov additionally informed reporters that he had spoken to France’s President Emmanuel Macron, claiming that the French chief informed Lavrov he needed to maintain speaking to the Russian president.
“I spoke to President Macron and he confirmed his intention to proceed contacts with President (Vladimir) Putin, to search for agreements that may permit a settlement to the state of affairs,” mentioned Lavrov.
“I reminded him, as I mentioned, that each one the issues are on the Ukrainian facet, due to their categorical refusal of any negotiations,” he added. “They’re placing ahead circumstances which can be clearly unrealistic and inconsistent with the state of affairs.”
In October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree formally ruling out the potential of negotiations with Putin. It was dated the day that Putin introduced he would annex Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and the Donetsk and Luhansk Folks’s Republics — in violation of worldwide regulation.
Final week, nevertheless, Zelensky informed CNN’s Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour he had not fully dominated out peace negotiations together with his counterpart in Moscow.
“I haven’t closed the door. I mentioned we’d be prepared to speak to Russia — however with a special Russia. One that’s actually prepared for peace. One which is able to acknowledge that they’re occupiers … They should return all the pieces. Land, rights, freedom, cash. And most significantly, justice.
“And to this point, I haven’t heard statements like that from the Russian Federation — both from Putin or from anybody else.”
