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MOSCOW. – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said yesterday that the United States has long been involved in the conflict in Ukraine.
The US has for a long time been participating de facto in the conflict that is “being controlled by the Anglo-Saxons”, Lavrov told Russian state television.
Lavrov said that officials including White House national security spokesman John Kirby had said the US was open to talks but that Russia had refused.
“This is a lie,” Lavrov said. “We have not received any serious offers to make contact.”
Russia will not turn down a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden at a forthcoming G20 meeting and would consider the proposal if it receives one, Lavrov said.
Russia was willing to listen to any suggestions regarding peace talks, but that he could not say in advance what this process will lead to, he added.
Russia will respond to the West’s growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict although direct conflict with NATO is not in Moscow’s interests, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said yesteray after Washington pledged more military aid for Kyiv.
“We warn and hope that they realize the danger of uncontrolled escalation in Washington and other Western capitals,” Sergey Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.
Ukraine on Monday said it needed to strengthen its air defence following Russia’s retaliation for an attack on a strategic bridge in Crimea.
Biden promised to provide advanced air defense systems, and the Pentagon said on Sept 27 it would start delivering the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System over the next two months or so.
Biden and the Group of Seven leaders held a virtual meeting yesterday to discuss their commitment to support Ukraine.
Mr Putin said he ordered “massive” long-range strikes after accusing Ukraine of an attack on the bridge in Crimea on Saturday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to Biden on Monday and wrote on Telegram that air defense was the “number 1 priority in our defence cooperation”.
Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said more Western help for Ukraine raised the risk of a wider conflict. – ChinaDaily.com
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