'We don't want wars': Russia sends less hawkish message on Ukraine
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Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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MOSCOW (REUTERS) - Russia on Friday (Jan 28) sent its strongest signal so far that it is willing to engage with US security proposals and reiterated that it does not want war over Ukraine.
"If it depends on Russia, then there will be no war. We don't want wars. But we also won't allow our interests to be rudely trampled, to be ignored," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian radio stations in an interview.
Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border as it presses demands for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe.
The United States and its allies have warned President Vladimir Putin that Russia will face swift and tough economic sanctions if he attacks Ukraine.
Mr Lavrov said the West was ignoring Russia's interests but there was at least "something" in written responses submitted by the US and Nato on Wednesday to Russia's proposals.
While the responses have not been made public, both have stated they are willing to engage with Moscow on arms control and confidence-building measures. They have ruled out acceding to other demands, including that Ukraine must never be allowed to join Nato.
Mr Lavrov said he expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again in the next couple of weeks.
He said, without giving details, that the US counter-proposals were better than Nato's. Russia was studying them and Mr Putin would decide how to respond.
The comments were among the most conciliatory that Moscow has made on the Ukraine crisis, which has escalated into one of the tensest East-West standoffs since the Cold War ended three decades ago.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia said on Friday his country had absolutely no interest in a war and that conflict would break out only if Belarus or Russia were directly attacked.
Russia says it does not want war but has placed a "gun on the table" in its negotiations with the United States by massing troops on Ukraine’s borders, US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan said on Friday.
He described the buildup of tens of thousands of Russian troops as "extraordinary" and said it could not be explained as an ordinary military exercise or exercises.
"It’s the equivalent of if you and I were having a discussion or a negotiation. If I put a gun on the table and say that I come in peace. That’s threatening," Mr Sullivan told reporters.
"It’s the equivalent of if you and I were having a discussion or a negotiation. If I put a gun on the table and say that I come in peace. That’s threatening," Mr Sullivan told reporters.
"And that’s what we see now. We hope that the Russian government is true to its word, and does not plan to, and will not, further invade Ukraine. But the facts suggest that it has the present ability to do that."
Mr Sullivan added that Washington was now waiting for Russia’s response to written documents by the United States and Nato sketching a diplomatic path out of the Ukraine crisis, and urged Russia to withdraw troops from near Ukraine’s borders.
He said those documents contained ways to calm the crisis with proposals for greater transparency around military drills in Europe, as well as on Ukrainian arms sales.
"We’ve addressed the possibility of reciprocal transparency measures with the Russian government, including on offensive weapons systems in Ukraine, as well as measures to increase confidence regarding military exercises and manoeuvres in Europe," Mr Sullivan said.
He said he hoped phone conversations or a physical meeting between American and Russian diplomats could then follow, reiterating that diplomacy was the only way forward.
He said those documents contained ways to calm the crisis with proposals for greater transparency around military drills in Europe, as well as on Ukrainian arms sales.
"We’ve addressed the possibility of reciprocal transparency measures with the Russian government, including on offensive weapons systems in Ukraine, as well as measures to increase confidence regarding military exercises and manoeuvres in Europe," Mr Sullivan said.
He said he hoped phone conversations or a physical meeting between American and Russian diplomats could then follow, reiterating that diplomacy was the only way forward.
Mr Sullivan also said economic sanctions on Russia after an invasion of Ukraine would be just one part of the West’s response.
Other measures would include export controls and greater defence of allies in Europe, and the United States would also prevent the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany from operating, he said.
Other measures would include export controls and greater defence of allies in Europe, and the United States would also prevent the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany from operating, he said.
He also said the size of the Russian military build-up on Ukraine's borders would allow an invasion with little warning.
French President Emmanuel Macron was due to speak by phone with Mr Putin on Friday, and the Kremlin said it did not rule out that Mr Putin would provide some Russian assessments of the Western response to its proposals during the conversation.
"It is up to Vladimir Putin to say if he wants consultations or confrontation," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio, asking whether the Russian leader wanted to be a "destabilising power" or would seek de-escalation.
