daniel chigunwe
MOSCOW. – Russia suggested yesterday that it was ready to keep talking to the west to try to defuse a security crisis in which it has massed a huge force within striking distance of Ukraine, while a Ukrainian official said Kyiv was prepared to make concessions to Moscow.
In a televised exchange, President Vladimir Putin was shown asking his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, whether there was a chance of an agreement to address Russia’s security concerns, or whether it was just being dragged into tortuous negotiations.
Lavrov replied: “We have already warned more than once that we will not allow endless negotiations on questions that demand a solution today.”
But he added: “It seems to me that our possibilities are far from exhausted … At this stage, I would suggest continuing and building them up.”
The US has said Russia could invade Ukraine “any day now”, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday called the situation “very, very dangerous”.
Russia has positioned more than 100 000 troops near to Ukraine’s borders but denies planning to invade, accusing the West of hysteria.
Earlier in the day, the Group of Seven large Western economies (G7) had warned Russia of “massive” economic consequences if it did invade, and promised Kyiv swift support.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain backtracked on remarks suggesting that Kyiv would reconsider its attempt to join NATO – one of Russia’s primary concerns – but did say that other concessions could be on offer.
“We are not a member of NATO right now and to avoid war we are ready for many concessions and that is what we are doing in conversations with the Russians,” he told the BBC in a clarification.
“It has nothing to do with NATO, which (membership application) is enshrined in the constitution.”
The Kremlin said that if Ukraine renounced its aspiration to join the Western military alliance, it would significantly help address Russia’s concerns.
Moscow has made clear it sees the former Soviet republic’s quest for closer ties with the West, notably through NATO, as a threat.
The G7 finance ministers said fresh military aggression by Russia against Ukraine would trigger “economic and financial sanctions which will have massive and immediate consequences on the Russian economy”.
But talk of diplomatic efforts continuing brought the price of crude oil down off the seven-year highs it had hit earlier amid concerns that sanctions would disrupt exports from Russia, a major producer, in an already tight market.
Sanctions could ultimately rebound on Western powers, which rely heavily on Russia for energy supplies, notably gas, as well as other raw materials.
European banks in particular fear that Russia could be excluded from the SWIFT global payment system, which would prevent the repayment of Russian debts.
Lavrov told Putin the United States had put forward concrete proposals on reducing military risks, but that responses from NATO and the European Union – which has been at pains not to let Moscow divide its members – had not been satisfactory.
“None of my fellow ministers responded to my direct message,” Lavrov said. “Therefore we will continue to seek a concrete response from each country.” – Reuters
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