While Beijing is trying to mediate neutrally between the parties in the war in Ukraine, there has now been a setback. After meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Laos, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Moscow is sticking to its war aims in Ukraine.
Contrary to Western demands, Russia would not capitulate. Lavrov remained stubborn at a press conference in Vientiane at the end of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting. All the goals of the war, including preventing NATO bases in Ukraine, would be achieved.
“There is no doubt about that,” the chief diplomat said with conviction. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also attended the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Laos is chairing the Southeast Asian community this year.
Lavrov said that he was informed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about his meeting in Beijing with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. Kuleba then declared his readiness to conduct peace negotiations with Russia, but also stressed that Kiev sees no interest in Moscow. The Russian minister then said again that President Volodymyr Zelensky himself had imposed a ban on negotiations with Russia under the leadership of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin by decree of his leadership in Kiev. Moscow and Kiev also accuse each other of not being seriously interested in negotiations.
Southeast Asia is becoming a powder keg
The Russian minister also met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae Yul to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Kremlin leader Putin recently visited North Korea. Accordingly, Cho Tae Yul had requested the meeting.
Lavrov complained to journalists that the situation in Southeast Asia as a whole was deteriorating. “There are many signals and signs of an escalating confrontation. If NATO makes progress here, the alliance will bring with it all the evils of the Euro-Atlantic security system,” he warned. The purpose of the system is to maintain the dominance of the US and its allies.
The Kremlin politician also expressed concern about the possible deployment of US missiles in the region. The states of Southeast Asia are not interested in confrontation, he noted. Russia repeatedly accuses NATO of not being a defensive alliance, but of fomenting conflicts for its own self-preservation.
Source: Krone
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