Clash between Moscow and Washington in the UN Security Council

Russia | February 1, 2022, Tuesday // 11:40|  views

Politico

How can we not think about the Cold War? Russia and the United States tore apart the UN Security Council on Monday over Russian troops gathered near Ukraine, and Western nations are threatening Russian oligarchs to make them pay for any military escalation.

The United States “continues to call for diplomacy” to resolve the crisis over Ukraine, but “we are ready no matter what happens,” US President Joe Biden warned on Monday.

On the eve of an important telephone conversation between US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, scheduled for Tuesday to determine the next steps to be taken in this high-risk crisis, Washington announced on Tuesday night that it had received a new “written response” from Moscow after an initial exchange of letters. The contents of the letter are not disclosed.

Earlier, the Security Council session was held at the request of the United States and against Russia's wishes. Ten of the 15 members of the Council voted in favor of this meeting, which did not look like appeasement, but turned into an open confrontation.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, has accused Washington of seeking to “create hysteria” and “deceive the international community” with “baseless accusations”.

And he was pleased to return the United States to one of the most awkward chapters in its recent diplomatic and military history. Vasily Nebenzya recalled that before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Washington assured that it had evidence of weapons of mass destruction in that country, which were never found.

His American counterpart Linda Thomas-Greenfield, for her part, estimated that the deployment of more than 100,000 Russian troops around Ukraine threatened “international security.” Claiming to have “evidence”, she accused Moscow of deploying more than 30,000 additional troops in early February in Belarus, whose regime is very close to the Kremlin.

At the same time, diplomatic maneuvers continue, as are preparations for sanctions.

The United States, as well as Britain, one of Russia's favorite oligarchs' investment destinations, said on Monday that it would impose sanctions on the Kremlin's closest circle.

Washington has prepared “concrete sanctions against members of Russia's elite and their families” if Russia ever invades Ukraine, White House spokesman Jen Psaki said Monday.

She said the oligarchs were “particularly vulnerable targets” for sanctions because of their very close financial ties to Western countries.

In London, the government will tighten the sanctions regime.

“We will ensure that those who share responsibility for the Kremlin's aggressive and destabilizing actions pay a high price,” warned British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

They will risk the freezing of their assets in the UK and the inability to enter its territory. It will also be impossible for a company or individual in the UK to make a deal with them.

Moscow has already promised an “answer”.

On the diplomatic front, Russian and French Presidents Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone on Monday for the second time in four days.

Vladimir Putin reiterated that he wants “security guarantees” for his country.

Moscow is urging NATO to close its doors to any new member of Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine, a request that Westerners find unacceptable because it is tantamount to recognizing Russia's sphere of continued influence.

This key request was rejected by the United States in a written response to Moscow. The Kremlin has said it is considering a response.

Therefore, Anthony Blinken and Sergei Lavrov should talk about it on Tuesday.

Movements also continue on the military front. Several Western countries have announced the sending of new contingents to Eastern Europe in recent days.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will propose to NATO this week the deployment of troops in response to growing “Russian hostility” to Ukraine.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German counterpart Annalena Baerbock and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki are expected to visit Kiev this week.

Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand, whose country provides military assistance to Ukraine, will arrive on Sunday for a two-day visit to the country. She announced the movement of Canadian troops to western Ukraine.

/BGNES

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Tags: Russia, United States, Ukraine, NATO

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