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THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that a return to the “nightmare scenario of military confrontation” in Ukraine is highly likely.
Speaking at an Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting in Stockholm, Lavrov accused NATO of bringing its military infrastructure “closer to the Russian borders.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Russia to “de-escalate” on Ukraine and use “diplomacy”, reiterating his threat of “serious consequences” if Russia resorts to “aggression”.
“We have deep concerns about Russia’s plans for renewed aggression against Ukraine,” Blinken told Sergei Lavrov during the talks in Sweden.
The US reiterated it’s stance today, after threatening “high impact” sanctions yesterday.
Lavrov earlier urged the West to seriously consider “relevant proposals” Moscow would be presenting soon to prevent NATO’s expansion to the east.
“A Direct Threat”
His comments come after the Kremlin said that Ukraine’s stated goal of retaking Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, amounted to a “direct threat” to Russia, as tensions soar over Kiev’s conflict with pro-Russia separatists.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that Crimea was Ukrainian territory and Kiev’s goal was to “liberate” it.
He focused however on diplomatic solutions and made no mention of taking the peninsula by force.
“Speaking in parliament, Zelensky said that the return of Crimea should be the main goal and philosophy of Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We see this as a direct threat to Russia.”
“Such wording of course means that the Kiev regime intends to use all available means — including force, in order to encroach on a Russian region. This is how we are leaning towards perceiving it.”
Kiev’s Western allies have warned in recent weeks that a Russian invasion of Ukraine may be imminent and that Moscow may use a threat to its security as a pretext.
“The likelihood of hostilities in Ukraine is still high,” Peskov said.
“This remains a matter of particular concern and worry for us. We are seeing an increase in the intensity of provocative actions on the contact line.”
Meeting Tomorrow
Top US diplomats and their Russian counterparts are set to meet in Sweden tomorrow after Washington expressed concern about a Russian military buildup near Ukraine.
Pro-Moscow rebels seized two eastern Ukrainian regions shortly after Russia annexed Crimea in a long-simmering conflict that has claimed over 13,000 lives.
Kiev and its Western allies accuse Moscow of backing the separatist fighters with forces and weapons, claims the Kremlin denies.
Earlier, Ukraine’s army said one of its soldiers was killed in clashes with the separatists this week.
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Having Crimea as well as Donetsk back under Kiev’s control is not very realistic to say the least, and as long as countries perceived by Moscow to belong in its ‘back yard’ are cosying up to and joining Nato, this will remain to be the sort of reaction one can expect from Russia.
I can understand those countries doing that as they feel threatened by Russia, but what they do in order to accomodate that feeling is precisely what makes the Russians feel under threat – it’s the depressing mechanics of (cold) war.
I think there was a real chance in the early post-9/11 early 2000s, but it seems that ship has long sailed. When missiles were later deployed in eastern Europe under the pretext of being against Iran things went downhill. I think what should have been done was to mutually recognise Ukraine (as well as Belarus and perhaps more) as neutral ground between the Russian and western blocks.
Now the situation is that even the Baltic states, particularly Latvia with 25% ethnic Russians living in a parallel society, could be under threat (from Russian ‘volunteers’). And that’s both Nato and EU, so it would be extremely serious.
@Mick Tobin: sponsored to you by Kremlin.
@Mick Tobin: The only aggressor in the area in Russia.
It was Russia that invaded Georgia. It was Russia that invaded Crimea and Donetsk.
The only reason why any of the countries bordering Russia are establishing stronger ties with Nato is because Russia is the clear aggressor, who’s intent on trying to have control and influence over its neighbours.
@Mick Tobin: Russians do not invest in Russia. Too risky. They prefer to stash and invest their billions in the West. Lets be smart about their need for safe investment opportunities and use it to achieve lasting peace and a better life for ordinary Russians. War is for fo.ols.
@Neil Neart: none of you have the foggiest idea about geopolitics. Everything Mick said is correct. He isn’t condoning anything that Russia is doing, he is merely explaining the Russian geopolitical mindset. Both sides have a part to play. The Wests NATO encroachment was against a deal they made with the new state of Russia back in the 90s and is a direct threat to the Russian state. On the flip side, Russia’s geography predisposes it so that it has to project power outward in order to protect it’s heartland.
@Peazel: This is World War 3 stuff. If it kicks off the Ukraine the game is over.
@Peazel: LOL. I doubt if your experience of Russia comes close to mine. Russian oligarchs dont care. It’s all about making money, not friends.
@Peazel: Russia’s geopolitical mindset is that everything they can benefit from, should be under their control, unless there is a stronger contester. It does not matter the area they control now, its never enough. This was true since 1600 and is true now. They try to kick off some sort of trouble every 20-40 years. If they win, they go further, if lose, stay quiet for a couple of decades, strengthen their military and go again. This is how they grew big in a first place, by absorbing and enslaving nearby nations. They did not have to travel seas to establish colonies, they simply invaded weak neighbours. Countries and nations that positioned nearby are always under the threat and hence are looking for support from NATO, or other allies.
Sleepy Joe is at the wheel, sure why wouldn’t they take a chance. Lets Go Brandon
@Gary C: You say sleepy Joe, but then the ‘let’s go brandon’. So confusing, are you for him or against him?
@Bill Spill: Gary just says whatever his cult leaders tell him to
@Bill Spill: you do understand let’s go Brandon is an insult towards sleepy joe,
@Pablo Lord: how could it be? It says “let’s go.”
Don’t see what the Issue is if the likes of the US and the UK can invade other countries willy nilly. It’s another case of NATO and the UN, do as we say not as we do, lol.
The only thing Ukraine is going to gain from trying to get Crimea back is turning the whole country Russian!!! I doubt Ukraine is going to get any help from the USA, it would be a complete disaster.
Putin appears to be a worthy successor to Stalin!
China is buying Iran oil. West afraid of real conflict with China and Russia. West will only apply sanctions but not deep enough again in case that would cause conflict.
have your say