Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov noted on Friday that Moscow was reviewing security proposals from the US and NATO.
He stressed that Russia does not want war with Ukraine and added that proposals from the US were better than those from the NATO, according to Reuters reporting.
Lavrov noted that he is to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the coming weeks and added that Moscow will respond to Western proposals.
On Thursday, Russian officials stated that the US was unwilling to address Moscow’s concerns in the standoff over Ukraine, but stressed that Russia would continue to seek a diplomatic solution.
On Wednesday, the US and NATO presented Moscow with their security proposals, with Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stressing that it will take time to review the proposals and adding that Moscow would not rush to conclusions.
Alexey Zaitsev, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, pointed out “we have already repeatedly stated that our country does not intend to attack anyone” and added “we consider even the thought of a war between our people to be unacceptable.”
China appeals to US
China stressed the importance of all sides remaining calm and called on the US to “refrain from doing things that agitate tensions and hype up the crisis.”
Speaking at a press conference earlier this week, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland stated “we are unified, unified in our preference for diplomacy… but we are also unified in our resolve that if Moscow rejects our offer of dialogue, the costs must be swift and severe.”
“We are calling on Beijing to use its influence with Moscow to urge diplomacy, because if there is a conflict in the Ukraine it is not going to be good for China either,” Nuland argued.
Commenting on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, she noted that the US continues “to have very strong and clear conversations with our German allies, and I want to be clear with you today, if Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.”
The White House pointed out that US President Joe Biden recently assured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that the US and its allies would respond decisively if Russia attacks.
