The United States is encouraging Ukraine to further escalate the conflict and is practically sabotaging efforts to reach a political settlement through statements and arms supplies to Kiev, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2022) The United States is encouraging Ukraine to further escalate the conflict and is practically sabotaging efforts to reach a political settlement through statements and arms supplies to Kiev, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday.
The Russian official said that he was concerned by the statement of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who stated earlier in the week that the US would not prevent Ukraine from developing long-range missiles.
"It is in fact encouraging the Kiev regime to escalate, while supported by the US and other NATO states. It is practically a call for erasing any prospects of returning to the political dialogue in the format of negotiations," Ryabkov told the Rossiya 24 broadcaster.
Russia's senior diplomat also noted that it was Washington and its allies that sabotaged negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in April.
Since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, Western countries have been providing Kiev with humanitarian, military and financial aid. Moscow has denounced the flow of weapons to Ukraine from its Western allies, saying it adds fuel to the fire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia.
