RUSSIA AIMS TO STOP UKRAINE FROM JOINING NATO, RUSSIAN FM LAVROV SAYS

Thu 03 March 2022:

Russia’s foreign minister has said Moscow’s attack on Ukraine is aimed, among other things, at ensuring that its neighbour does not join the United States-led NATO transatlantic military alliance.

Lavrov told Russian state television that the country’s forces were attacking military targets but added that the term “collateral damage” has been in use since military campaigns waged by Washington and its Western allies in Iraq and Libya.

He added that Western powers were aware of Moscow’s concerns and said they would have to address them at some point, before referring to sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion as a “tax on independence”.

Lavrov is adamant that Moscow is “looking after its own security interests” amid its invasion of Ukraine.

“He said the world was listening to Russia but he was not sure if it is hearing what the Russians are saying,” Jabbari said, citing comments Lavrov made during an online interview with Russian and foreign media.

“[And] he was adamant about his country’s position – that they are really under threat from neighbouring countries that are part of NATO,” she added.

Jabbari said that Lavrov made clear Russia was “still very much open to the idea of dialogue with NATO as well as the United States”, despite ties between Moscow and the West plunging to new lows over Moscow’s actions.

NEWS AGENCIES

_____________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent