The United States is using “the regime” of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “increase” tensions with Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this on Friday, according to international news agencies. Lavrov denied that Russia wants to start a war in Ukraine. The Kremlin is considering taking precautions to protect diplomats in Ukraine.
Also read: Did NATO break an old promise to Moscow not to expand eastward?
Russia responds to a conversation between US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky on Thursday. In it Biden stated to take into account with the possibility of a Russian invasion next month. According to a statement from the White House the US will “respond decisively” if Russia “further invades” Ukraine.
If it is up to Russia, there will be no war, Lavrov said on Friday. Instead of a military conflict, the Kremlin is open to new talks with the United States, according to the minister. Lavrov expects to meet his American colleague Antony Blinken in the coming weeks. In a letter, the United States announced this week that it wanted to negotiate on issues such as arms control and improving the relationship of trust between the two countries.
NATO
Moscow’s earlier demands for a withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern Europe and the promise that Ukraine will never join the alliance have been described by the US and NATO as “untreatable”. The Russians say they are more positive about the attitude of the US than that of NATO. Lavrov says President Vladimir Putin will not allow the West to “ignore” Russian interests. Behind the scenes, the Kremlin is working on a response to letters from Washington and NATO.
US Secretary of State Blinken said on Wednesday that he would like to speak with the Russians about arms control. NATO has called for a ‘de-escalation’ of the situation in Ukraine. About a hundred thousand Russian soldiers are active in the area around the Ukrainian border. Their presence is fueling Western concerns about an intervention by Russia. The Kremlin has always denied that reading and speaks of military exercises in the area.