the president of Russia, Vladimir Putinaccused the West on Tuesday of ignoring concerns Moscow in terms of security US to use Ukraine as an instrument against his country, although he said he hoped for a solution to put an end to the growing tension.
Putin spoke publicly about the crisis for the first time in weeks, following a telephone conversation between the heads of Russian and American diplomats, which indicated their deep disagreement on the subject but said they wanted to continue the dialogue.
“The main objective of the United States is to contain Russia, and Ukraine is its instrument to bring us into a armed conflictand hit us with the hardest sanctions“, he claimed.
“I hope we will finally find a solution, even if it is not easy,” he added, while receiving the Hungarian prime minister. Viktor Orbanan ally although his country is a member of the European Union and of the OTAN.
For Orban, the differences between the two parties were “overcome”.
The Russian president has not mentioned the tens of thousands of troops deployed on the border with Ukraine for weeks, and it makes the Western world think he is preparing a new attack on his neighbor after the one in 2014.
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinkencouraged his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrovto “an immediate de-escalation and the withdrawal of troops and equipment from the Ukrainian borders“, warns of” rapid and severe “sanctions in the event of a repression.
Russia denies any belligerent intentions and demands guarantees for its security, especially that Ukraine will never be a member of NATO and that the Atlantic Alliance to withdraw its powers to their 1997 positions, that is, before their successive expansions in Europe from the east.
The United States government has rejected these claims and left the door open to discuss other issues, such as the deployment of missiles or the reciprocal restrictions on military maneuvers. Russia is preparing a response to this position.
“We are analyzing the written responses received from the United States and NATO … but it is clear that Russia’s concerns of principle have been ignored,” Putin said.
The worst case scenario
Putin outlined the worst-case scenario, saying that if Ukraine became a NATO member, it would try to recapture Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, forcing a conflict between Moscow and the Atlantic Alliance. .
“Imagine Ukraine, a NATO member, a military operation in Crimea, a sovereign territory of Russia, “he said,” what about us? Would we go to war with NATO? “
Eggo his minister of foreign affairschallenged the principle that “no one should strengthen their security at the expense of others”, while the West insists on Ukraine’s right to choose its alliances.
Despite deep differences, Blinken said he wanted to “continue a substantial exchange with Russia over mutual security issues.”
“Blinken agreed that there are reasons to continue the dialogue” on the issue of Russia’s security, “Lavrov said.” We will see how it goes. “
In another sign of Western support for Ukraine, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnsonwas in Kiev this Tuesday, just like his Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki.
“It is essential that Russia backs down and chooses the path of diplomacy,” Johnson said, warning that there was a “clear” and “imminent” danger of Russian military intervention in Ukraine.
There is no Russian “withdrawal”
the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenskywelcomes the growing Western diplomatic and military support for Moscow, “the most important” since Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
To deter Moscow from any aggression, the West has also accelerated its preparations for enforcement economic sanctions.
“Of course we are prepared to talk, but the sanctions are ready,” Johnson said.
US and the United Kingdomone of the Russian oligarchs’ favorite investment zones, said on Monday that it would sanction those close to the Kremlin.
Wealthy Russians will run the risk of having assets frozen in the UK, banned from entering the area or doing business there.
“We are not going to stand back or stand and listen to US threats of sanctions,” the Russian embassy in Washington responded on Tuesday.
While Moscow has preferred direct contacts with Washington since the beginning of this crisis, Europeans are trying to stay in the diplomatic game.
The head of the Italian government, Mario Draghi, called on Putin to “de-escalate”. The Russian president is preparing a meeting with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx