The “reincarnation” of the Cold War between Russia and the West is liable to transitioning to “a sizzling stage”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned on the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Ministerial Council Meeting in Malta on Thursday.
In his first go to to an EU state since 2021, Lavrov accused the US and its allies of throwing arms management treaties “into the trash” to carry NATO “again to the political forefront”, including that “a brand new frequent enemy” had been wanted after the humiliating US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha was filmed strolling out of the assembly throughout Lavrov’s speech, joined by representatives of a number of different states, together with Czechia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
During his speech, Lavrov claimed that Russia didn’t “wish to assault anybody in any respect”, earlier than accusing the US of waging a battle towards Russia utilizing “Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces” as proxies, including that Vladimir Putin had repeatedly mentioned that Russia was “left with no different choice” when it started its “particular army operation” in Ukraine.
“When Russians say they need peace, they’re mendacity,” Sybiha countered. “They discuss negotiations solely to divert consideration from what they’re doing. Look at their actions, not their phrases,” Sybiha urged, including that Russia was in precise truth persevering with “to increase the battle”.
Russia’s actions, together with fixed airstrikes on Ukraine and its involvement of North Korean troops in hostilities, in addition to a current ballistic missile strike on Ukraine required “a decisive response” to realize “peace by power”, not appeasement, Sybiha confused.
“Ukraine continues to struggle for its proper to exist. And the Russian battle felony at this desk should know: Ukraine will win this proper and justice will prevail,” Sybiha concluded.
In flip, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia of escalation in Ukraine, noting that Lavrov, who walked out throughout Blinken’s speech, was “very adept at drowning listeners in a tsunami of misinformation”.
“But let’s not idiot ourselves and let’s not permit him or anybody else to idiot us. This shouldn’t be about and has by no means been about Russia’s safety,” Blinken charged, “This is about Mr. Putin’s imperial venture to erase Ukraine from the map.”
