Russia’s head of diplomacy refused this Sunday to clarify “red lines” in Russian foreign policy with the European Union (EU), which he accused of ignoring attempts at dialogue to “buy time and supply weapons” to Ukraine.
The EU’s claim to “clarifying our ‘red lines’ is simply ridiculous as they were defined a long time ago”Serguei Lavrov said on Russian public television.
Lavrov alluded to a “some employees” of the EU who stated that “at some point, not now, but in the future, a dialogue with Russia will be necessary to clarify the ‘red lines’.”
“This is totally irresponsible”, considered the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation during the interview, cited by the Spanish agency Europa Press (EP).
Lavrov insisted that the EU does not need explanations from Moscow and that “anyone who was willing to listen” I should have understood this a long time ago.
“If certain members of the elite pursue purely selfish, unrealistic and illusory goals, they will be held accountable in due course. History will ultimately hold them accountable,” he said.
Among other conditions, Moscow demands recognition of Russian sovereignty in five Ukrainian regions, including Crimea annexed in 2014, a significant reduction in the Ukrainian army and guarantees that Kiev will never be part of NATO.
Lavrov accused Zelensky of heading a “openly Nazi regime” and wanting to lead a “new European military entity that the Germans and the British are trying to organize”.
“Zelensky openly says ‘we will defend everyone, we have the strength, experience and the largest army in Europe to do so’. (…) And he sees Ukraine at the helm of this entire military entity”, he noted.
“But I don’t think this will end well,” he said, quoted by the Russian agency TASS.
Lavrov criticized Zelensky’s push for Ukraine’s immediate accession to the EU, which he said involved admitting a country that “prohibited Russian culture in all its manifestations and the canonical Orthodox Church.”
The minister described it as ironic that the EU considers Zelensky a defender of European values, despite the measures he accused the Ukrainian leader of having taken against Russian culture and the Orthodox Church.
