Ukraine, Russian ambassador to Rome: “Disappointed by Italy? Crises come and go”

Sergey Razov, the Russian ambassador to Rome, speaks to Adnkronos as the war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its 11th day. On relations between Rome and Moscow, he assures that there is “a common interest in maintaining regular relations”, argues that the wounds between Russia and the West can be healed, but on the condition of “a respectful and equal dialogue” and defines it as “shocking” the West’s decision to send lethal weapons to Kiev as negotiations begin, weapons that will be used to “kill the Russian military”. Read also Below is the full text of the interview Were you disappointed with Italy’s attitude in this crisis? I am a diplomat. It is not for me to evaluate the “attitude” of the country in which I am accredited as an ambassador. I’ll say one thing. Even in the current crisis situation, it is not worth losing sight of the prospects. The story does not end with today. Crises come and go, but interests remain. I think it is in the common interest to maintain regular relations as they have been for decades “Is the rift between Russia and the West healed? Has a new iron curtain really come down? Let’s see how this wound was born. The political-military bloc of NATO, whose political documents define Russia as an enemy, in recent decades in several waves it has brought its infrastructures closer to our borders, creating understandable threats to our security. I emphasize that it was not we who expanded towards NATO, but NATO did expand towards us. The claim that NATO is a factor of peace and stability is not convincing. We know what happened in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, etc. I must emphasize that NATO expansion violated numerous promises made after the collapse of the USSR. And the sanctions, which in a first phase were still linked to what was happening in and around Ukraine, later totally lost this reference and were carried forward for a sinister form of inertia. The goal has been set to destroy the Russian economy. Even the Iron Curtain you mentioned was, as you know, lowered by the West after W. Churchill’s famous Fulton speech in 1946. The Russians, at least those of my generation have lived behind that curtain for a long time and have learned certain things. All historical events, including the present ones, have their precedents, their causes and their driving force. We are ready to heal the wounds and not to allow the Iron Curtain to fall again. What is needed is an equal and mutually respectful dialogue and a real consideration of mutual interests. What is your red line in talks with the Ukrainians? Negotiations have begun. Our position, as outlined by President Vladimir Putin, is as follows: Ukraine’s neutral and non-nuclear status, its demilitarization and denazification, recognition of the Russian membership of Crimea and the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. We have repeatedly and reasonably explained each of these positions. We are certainly interested in ensuring that the negotiations are effective. In this context, it seems shocking that the decision to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine was taken just as the Russian and Ukrainian delegations were sitting at the table in the first round of negotiations. in Gomel. In fact, those weapons will be used to kill the Russian military, which, you will agree, adds further complications to inter-state relations. Furthermore, it is difficult to predict in which hands these weapons will end up and against whom they can be used. As you know, tens of thousands of small arms have already been distributed to the civilian population, including Ukrainian criminal elements released from prison, which could play a role in Ukraine and other conflict zones. ‘Hague for war crimes against Russia? Russia categorically rejects war crimes allegations. Incidentally, neither Russia nor Ukraine are members of the Hague International Criminal Court. I draw attention to the fact that in the last eight years, during which 14,000 people, including civilians, have been killed in the Donbass, none of the 5,588 complaints lodged by human rights organizations at the European Court of Human Rights has been upheld. . Double standards and prejudice are evident. One last thing. I am grateful to your agency for its willingness to listen and convey our point of view on what is happening in relations between Russia and the West and around Ukraine, even if, given the current purely negative perception of Russia by the masses media, I assume it is unlikely that it will be received with understanding. (by Maria Grazia Napolitano)