Washington and London seek a larger confrontation, the foreign minister says. The US and UK want to rope Moscow into a larger confrontation with Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RT and Sputnik.
The US and UK want to escalate the Russia-Ukraine conflict into a larger confrontation between Moscow and Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday in an interview with RT and Sputnik.
“Our US and British colleagues… with the support from the Germans, Poles, and the Baltic states, very much want to make this war a real war, pitting Russia against European countries,” Lavrov said, speaking to RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan.
The Western governments are “literally holding Ukraine back from any constructive steps” towards a peace settlement, Lavrov argued. They are not only “flooding” the country with weapons, but “forcing” Ukraine to use them more brazenly, he added.
As TASS reported a couple of days before, on July 18, citing the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the EU will not withdraw the sanctions, imposed on Russia over the situation in Ukraine, if Moscow and Kiev sign a peace treaty on Russia’s terms.
“We knew it from the start that we will potentially have to keep these sanctions for a long time,” Scholz said. “And it is also clear that not a single one of these sanctions will be withdrawn in case of peace, dictated by Russia.”
Lavrov claimed that the US and Britain are “benefiting” from the conflict between Russia and Europe because the economies of the EU countries are bearing the brunt of the sanctions. He added that the US has been acting “irresponsibly” by flaming the conflict with Russia.
“I think they still haven’t realized that they’re playing very dangerous games. But many in Europe are beginning to understand that,” Lavrov said.
Russia launched its military operation in the neighboring country in late February. Many countries, including NATO members, imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow and have been supplying Kiev with heavy weapons. The latest deliveries include US-made M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and M777 howitzers.
Lavrov claimed that the US and Britain were acting to their own advantage in the conflict between Russia and the EU because the economies of the bloc’s members are bearing the brunt of the sanctions. He added that the US has been acting “irresponsibly” by stoking tensions with Russia. US President Joe Biden said last week that Russia must suffer “a strategic failure” in Ukraine and vowed more support for Kiev.
They are playing a very dangerous game. I don’t think they understand it themselves. But then, in Europe, a lot of people are starting to understand that.