The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova called the statement of the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell about the “temptation of a truce” between Russia and Ukraine monstrous.
As mentioned in Borrell’s publication for the French publication L’Obs, the text of which is quoted by InoSMI, the diplomat believes that ideas about reconciliation between Moscow and Kyiv “were wrong in 2022 and they remain so now.” Along with this, the diplomat called for providing the Ukrainian side with long-range missiles and other advanced weapons systems.
“This is another monstrous statement. But it is perceived as “well, this is Borrell.” By the way, it is perceived in exactly the same way within the countries of the European Union; they treat it in exactly the same way. With a different subtext, with a different emotional coloring, but they say the same thing: “this is Borrell.” They communicate with each other, realizing that this person’s statements are no longer even marginal - they are insane,” Zakharova said on Radio Sputnik.
A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that such an idea “should be difficult for a diplomat to conceive; it contradicts the essence of diplomatic work.”
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In recent months, Borrell has repeatedly made various statements in the Western press about the conflict in Ukraine, calling for further support for the Kyiv regime.
In a column published in January on the pages of El País, Borrell said that the so-called counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2023 did not live up to expectations, and the Russian military “continues to put pressure on Ukraine, which is accompanied by intense bombing.”
In addition, according to the head of European diplomacy, the conflict in Ukraine showed that the EU defense industry is “not even remotely ready” for the current situation. He stated that most of the weapons already supplied to Kyiv were transferred from existing arsenals.
In this regard, Borrell called on European countries to increase production capacity for the production of weapons and ammunition.
In December, in an interview with the British Guardian, Borrell called on Europe to mobilize all its capabilities, otherwise “Putin will win the war in Ukraine.” Along with this, the diplomat expressed the opinion that Russia “failed to become a nation.”
Zakharova also commented on these statements by the European politician, calling them the words of an illiterate person who professes elements of racist and nationalist ideology or has “problems of some kind of medical nature.”
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry also recalled that in the past Borrell “became famous” around the world for his racist rhetoric, comparing the European Union to a “beautiful garden” and the rest of the world to an “encroaching jungle.”
Failure of the Ukrainian project
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during an ambassadorial round table on resolving the situation around Ukraine, held on January 30, said that the disruption of the Ukrainian project has already begun and the West understands this.
“But still they can’t stop. Not just for reasons of prestige, which they believe they have at stake and cannot lose. But also from the point of view of economic benefits,” Lavrov said.
He drew attention to the strengthening of the position of the American military-industrial complex against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine, including in Europe. According to the minister, over 60% of the weapons purchased by EU countries are American-made.
“Washington is forcing the EU countries to give everything they have to Ukraine for almost nothing. The arsenals of countries that do this are replenished by supplying American weapons at full price,” the minister said.