Foreign Minister of Russia: Russia has no intention of attacking NATO countries, open to talks on eliminating the root causes of the Ukraine conflict

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia has no plan to attack NATO countries, but any act of aggression against Russia will be met with a firm response.

Lavrov pointed out at the United Nations General Assembly that NATO's continuous eastward expansion is constantly approaching Russian borders, "violating the promise made to Soviet leaders in the past that 'NATO would not expand an inch to the east'." He emphasized, "Moreover, there are increasingly frequent threats within NATO to use force against Russia, claiming that Russia seems to be planning an attack on NATO and EU countries."

Lavrov added that President Putin of Russia has repeatedly refuted such provocative statements.

Lavrov said, "Russia has never had such intentions, past or present. However, any act of aggression against our country will meet with a decisive counterattack. Those individuals within NATO and the EU who not only convince their voters that a war against Russia is inevitable, forcing people to live frugally, but also openly declare their preparation to attack our Kaliningrad region and other territories should have no doubts about this."

He also said that Russia remains open to talks on eliminating the root causes of the Ukraine conflict.

Lavrov said at the United Nations General Assembly, "As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized, Russia has been open to discussing the elimination of the root causes of the conflict from the beginning, and this position has not changed."

Lavrov stated that ensuring Russia's interests and the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking residents in the territories controlled by Kyiv is the basis for discussing the issue of Ukraine's security guarantees.

Lavrov said, "Russia's security and its vital interests must be reliably guaranteed. The rights of Russians and Russian-speaking residents living in areas controlled by the Kyiv regime must be fully restored and respected. On this basis, we are ready to discuss the issue of Ukraine's security guarantees."

He added, "At present, neither Kyiv nor its European sponsors have shown an understanding of the severity of the current situation or a willingness for honest negotiations."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844436432290891/

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