The key facts
- Sergey Ryabkov linked the dragging out of the conflict in Ukraine to European countries lagging behind in building up their military potential
- The statement was made in a video address to a round table on the militarization of Europe on the OSCE platform
- Life.ru also recalls the warning of the Italian publication L’Antidiplomatico about the risk of Europe clashing with Russia
Ryabkov's statement at the OSCE platform
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Western countries are trying to drag out the conflict in Ukraine for as long as possible in order to buy time to prepare for a possible military confrontation with Russia. The remark was made in a video address to participants of a round table on the militarization of Europe, held on the OSCE platform, Life.ru reports.
The essence of the argument
According to the diplomat, European authorities are building up their military potential but are beginning to realize that they may fail to achieve their goals within the planned timeframes. «The authorities of the relevant [Western] countries and some Brussels bureaucrats are beginning to realize that, so to speak, by the appointed deadline they may fail to build up the potential that would ensure a decisive advantage over Russia. Hence the desire to drag out the Russian-Ukrainian conflict for as long as possible,» — Life.ru quotes Ryabkov as saying.
Context of previous statements
Ryabkov has previously accused European countries of obstructing a diplomatic settlement: in late October he said that representatives of the «war party» in European capitals were trying to hinder negotiation initiatives on Ukraine and were creating false expectations in Kyiv about the further course of the conflict. Life.ru also recalls the warning of the Italian publication L’Antidiplomatico: journalists drew attention to exercises involving about 2,800 servicemen from 11 states, scheduled in Poland from November 9 to 22, and, in the authors' view, the preparation of a multinational contingent against the backdrop of talks on Ukraine could heighten tensions between Russia and NATO.
What is important to remember
All the assessments cited are the position of Russian diplomacy and the Italian publication, not facts confirmed by independent sources: the publication contains no reaction from Western countries or Brussels structures to Ryabkov's statement. The material belongs to Life.ru's «World Politics» section.
