Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. File photoMOSCOW, July 18The Ukrainian crisis is presented as a «big game,» and talk about good relations, about the West's readiness to take into account the rights and interests of Russians who found themselves after the collapse of the USSR in independent Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries, turned out to be nothing more than a staging, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes. «If you look at today's events through a historical prism, then the entire Ukrainian crisis appears as a» big game «according to the scenario that was once promoted by (Zbigniew) Brzezinski. Talk about good relations, about the willingness of the West to take into account the rights and interests of Russians who found themselves after the collapse The USSR in independent Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries turned out to be nothing more than a staging,» Lavrov wrote in his article for the Izvestia newspaper. The minister added that already in the early 2000s, Washington and the European Union began to openly demand that Kyiv decide with whom is he: with the West or Russia. «Since 2014, the West has unconditionally led the Russophobic mode. Bringing (Vladimir) Zelensky to the forefront of any at least some significant international forum is also part of the staging. He speaks, makes pathetic speeches, and when he suddenly offers something reasonable, they hit him on the hand, as was the case after the Istanbul round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations: then, at the end of March, light seemed to dawn in the dialogue, but Kyiv was forced to surrender back, using, among other things, a frankly staged episode in Bucha,» the Russian Foreign Minister explained. «In Washington, London, Brussels, they began to demand that Kyiv not start negotiations with Russia until Ukraine achieved full military advantage (the former British prime minister tried especially ( Boris) Johnson, and with him many other Western politicians who are still acting, but have already shown similar inadequacy),» Lavrov added. >Il Giornale: prolonging the Ukrainian crisis will lead Europe to disaster
