A spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused this Friday (25), Maria Zakharova, the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) of lying about the inclusion of new members in the treaty. A possible entry of Ukraine into NATO is considered one of the main causes of the conflict with Russia, which has a strong position against the possibility of the country joining the organization and, consequently, strengthening ties with Western countries.
“There is an immense collective amnesia. In negotiations in the 1990s, there are records in the press that there were no intentions for NATO to extend eastward, beyond the Elbe River, which no other members would enter. It has since accepted 14 states. When they say we lie, they are lying. When they say they don’t make promises, yes, they are moving eastward, eastward. We saw documents, with meetings, briefings. NATO members contradict each other, try to hide and find justifications,” the spokeswoman said.
Since the early hours of Thursday (24) Russia has been attacking Ukraine – troops are heading towards Kiev – but Zakharova has refused to answer whether the country will negotiate with the Ukrainian government. “This is not the right time to discuss this, there are more important issues, such as Ukraine’s irresponsible behavior, such as the statements by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that he is going to the Hague court to accuse Russia’s action. At the moment he must do responsible work and coordinate his efforts. His team should avoid sending dubious signals, in this context this is essential, ”said the representative of the Russian government.
Zakharova said that for weeks the country had held meetings to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, but “it seems that Ukraine built a wall, not Russia.”
“The partners [da Ucrânia] from the West who helped build this wall. Instead of helping to fulfill the Minsk agreement, they increased this stimulus to Ukraine. Instead of throwing the blame at our door, we can recommend to our friends in the West to be honest in the interests of both.”
understand the conflict
After months of military escalation and intemperance on the Ukrainian border, Russia attacked the Eastern European country. At dawn this Thursday (24), Russian forces began to bomb several regions of the country – follow the repercussion live on CNN.
Hours earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a “special military operation” in the Donbas region (eastern Ukraine, where the breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk are located, which he recognized as independent).
What was seen in the following hours, however, was an attack on almost the entire Ukrainian territory, with explosions in several cities, including the capital Kiev.
According to Ukrainian officials, dozens of deaths have been confirmed in the armies of both countries.
In his speech before the attack, Putin justified the action by saying that Russia could not “tolerate threats from Ukraine”. Putin urged Ukrainian soldiers to “put down your weapons and go home”. The Russian leader further stated that he will not accept any kind of foreign interference.
This attack on the former Soviet neighbor threatens to destabilize Europe and involve the United States.
Russia has been tightening its military grip around Ukraine for the past year, amassing tens of thousands of troops, equipment and artillery at the country’s gates.
In recent weeks, diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions have been unsuccessful.
The escalation in the years-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine has triggered the continent’s biggest security crisis since the Cold War, raising the specter of a dangerous confrontation between Western powers and Moscow.
(From Sarah Marsh and Madeline Chambers of Reuters and Eliza Mackintosh of CNN)
Source: CNN Brasil
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