JAKARTA: Russian diplomats have accused the United States of engaging in a prolonged indirect conflict with Moscow and exacerbating tensions in Ukraine, warning that the situation could spiral out of control.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, speaking to TASS news agency, expressed Russia’s growing apprehension over what it perceives as Western provocation in Ukraine.
“We caution that they are playing a dangerous game. The United States has been involved in an indirect war with the Russian Federation for some time,” Ryabkov told TASS, referring to the United States.
“They have failed to grasp that, in pursuing their geopolitical objectives, they are nearing a point where it will be exceedingly challenging to manage and avert a serious crisis,” he added.
While Ukraine and Western nations accuse Russia of initiating an unprovoked aggression in Ukraine with the aim of territorial annexation, Moscow said that its actions, termed a “special military operation,” are defensive measures against perceived Western threats.
Recent comments by Western diplomats have been interpreted by Russia as a shift towards a more aggressive stance. This includes Russia’s Defense Ministry announcing exercises involving tactical nuclear weapons, purportedly in response to Western rhetoric.
British Foreign Minister David Cameron, during a visit to Kyiv, asserted Ukraine’s right to utilize British-supplied weapons against Russian targets, leaving the decision to Kyiv. Similarly, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his visit to Kyiv, accused President Putin of planning another attack on Ukraine and emphasized Ukraine’s autonomy in deciding its course of action.
Moscow has also expressed displeasure at Washington DC and the European Union’s scrutiny of potential Russian support for Ukraine, alleging attempts to coerce European countries into adopting more aggressive measures against Russia.
Ryabkov criticized the West’s strategic ambiguity towards Russia, which complicates Moscow’s ability to predict NATO’s response, including with regards to nuclear weapons. He emphasized that Russia would draw its own “red lines” and respond accordingly to Western actions.
Russian diplomacy with the West is currently focused on crisis management and preventing tensions from escalating into full-blown conflicts.
