Russia accuses EU of wanting to continue war in Ukraine, trying to provoke West – ISW
Pravda Ukraine
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been trying to use discussions between the United States and the European Union regarding the possible deployment of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine to push the Kremlin’s demands for a change of political regime in Ukraine. Russia has claimed that the Ukrainian government itself is the “root cause” of the war and has been trying to deepen divisions among Western allies.
Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
Details: Lavrov stated that plans to deploy European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine are part of Western efforts aimed at “inciting” Ukraine to war against Russia. He claimed that the West brought Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to power “at bayonet point” and plans to use peacekeeping forces to support “his regime”.
Lavrov once again reiterated Kremlin narratives, claiming that the root causes of the war were NATO’s eastward expansion and the alleged discrimination of Russian-speaking people in Ukraine.
Quote: “The Kremlin is likely attempting to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe to extract concessions in Russia’s favour in future peace negotiations and other talks.”
To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 2 March:
- Recent Russian official statements in response to the proposed US-Ukraine mineral deal indicate that the Kremlin is trying to sabotage the deal through narratives targeting Ukrainian and American audiences. The Kremlin is claiming that this mineral deal does not benefit Ukraine while also claiming that Russia can make a better offer to the United States, indicating that Moscow sees the deal as harmful to its objectives.
- The Kremlin has a vested interest in preventing the United States and Ukraine from signing a mineral deal, as the deal will commit the United States to a long-term investment in Ukraine and Ukraine’s sovereignty.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is attempting to exploit discussions between the United States and the EU about the possible deployment of European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine as part of a future peace settlement in order to reinvigorate the Kremlin’s demands for regime change in Ukraine.
- European leaders demonstrated their commitment to supporting Ukraine at a defence summit in London on 2 March.
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Velyka Novosilka.
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