We don't want wars says Russia as tone softens

Agencies| Moscow

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Russia yesterday sent its strongest signal so far that it is willing to engage with US security proposals and reiterated that it does not want a 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.

The United States and its allies have warned President Vladimir Putin that Russia will face swift and tough economic sanctions if he attacks Ukraine.

Lavrov said the West was ignoring Russia’s interests but there was at least “something” in written responses submitted by the United States and NATO on Wednesday to Russia’s proposals.

Lavrov said he expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again in the next couple of weeks.

Their last meeting, in Geneva on Jan.21, produced no breakthrough but both sides agreed to keep talking.

Lavrov said, without giving details, that the US counter-proposals were better than NATO’s.

Russia was studying them and Putin would decide how to respond.

Meanwhile, reports also said Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties.