Russia’s International Minister Sergei Lavrov has referred to as the West an “empire of lies” and accused it of adopting a neo-colonial mindset in its overtures to the World South to win backing for Ukraine within the battle.
Talking after every week of intense international diplomacy on the annual gathering of world leaders at UN headquarters in New York, the place Ukraine and its Western allies sought to drum up assist for Kyiv because it fights towards Russia’s invasion, Lavrov stated a “international majority” was being duped by the West.
“The US and its subordinated collective proceed to gas conflicts which artificially divide humanity into hostile blocks and hamper the achievement of general goals,” Lavrov stated.
“They’re making an attempt to drive the world to play in keeping with their very own self-centred guidelines.”
James Bays, Al Jazeera’s diplomatic correspondent, stated Lavrov’s speech was a part of a “tour world wide of Russia’s views” that contained no actual point out of Ukraine and few indications of Moscow’s plan one yr into the battle.
Throughout a information convention following the speech, the overseas minister dismissed a 10-point proposal put ahead by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in addition to the newest UN proposals to revive the Black Sea grain initiative.
“It’s fully not possible,” he stated of the peace blueprint promoted by Kyiv. “It isn’t doable to implement this. It’s not sensible and all people understands this, however on the identical time, they are saying that is the one foundation for negotiations.”
He additionally stated the UN proposal wouldn’t fly as a result of the West didn’t ship on its guarantees to Moscow, together with eradicating sanctions on a Russian financial institution and reconnecting it to the worldwide SWIFT system.
The February 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered commerce disruptions and vital will increase in worldwide prices for energy, agricultural commodities, and fertiliser, which had been already elevated because of the results of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Russia’s overseas minister positioned the blame for the crises within the meals and vitality markets on Western nations, who impose “unilateral coercive measures” – or sanctions – on weaker ones.
Lavrov’s speech got here as Zelenskyy awarded two Polish volunteers state awards throughout a stopover, as relations between the 2 international locations are strained over grain imports. He didn’t meet with any officers.
Zelenskyy angered his neighbours when he instructed the UN Common Meeting that Kyiv was working to protect land routes for grain exports, however that the “political theatre” round imports was solely serving to Moscow.
Poland determined final week to increase a ban on Ukrainian grain imports, shaking Kyiv’s relationship with a neighbour that has been certainly one of its staunchest allies since Russia invaded Ukraine in February final yr.
Zelenskyy thanked all Poles who “from the primary days opened their households, their properties, opened themselves up and helped”.
“I consider that any challenges on our widespread path are nothing in comparison with the truth that there may be such power between our folks,” he stated.
Persevering with combating
Ukraine is constant a counteroffensive to repel the Russian invasion and recapture its misplaced territories. On Saturday morning, it launched one other missile assault on Sevastopol on the occupied Crimean Peninsula, a day after an assault on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet that left a serviceman lacking and the principle constructing smouldering.
Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, instructed Voice of America on Saturday that a minimum of 9 folks had been killed and 16 others wounded on account of Kyiv’s assault on the Black Sea Fleet on Friday.
Budanov claimed Alexander Romanchuk, a Russian common commanding forces alongside the important thing southeastern entrance line, was “in a really critical situation” following the assault.
Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Kyiv, stated Ukraine’s navy intelligence confirmed the loss of life toll. At the least two senior generals had been wounded, whereas the destiny of the top of the Russian Black Sea navy, Viktor Sokolov, remained unknown.
Russia didn’t affirm the variety of casualties.
Crimea has served as the important thing hub supporting Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sevastopol, the principle base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet for the reason that nineteenth century, has had a selected significance for navy operations for the reason that begin of the battle.
Hanna Shelest, a safety analyst with the Ukrainian Prism NGO, stated Kyiv’s assaults on Crimea had been necessary for its technique and morale.
The vast majority of the assaults on Ukraine’s southern area come from Crimea, and strikes to decrease the capabilities there have strategic significance, Shelest instructed Al Jazeera.
Ukraine’s navy stated the air drive carried out 12 assaults on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters on Friday, focusing on areas the place personnel, navy gear and weapons had been concentrated. It stated that two anti-aircraft missile techniques and 4 Russian artillery models had been hit.
Ukraine has more and more focused naval amenities in Crimea in current weeks whereas the brunt of its counteroffensive makes sluggish beneficial properties within the east and south of Ukraine.