Russia Baffled by Europe: Claims Desire for Dialogue While Arming Ukraine

European nations claim they want to negotiate with Russia while simultaneously continuing a legal conflict against Moscow, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “Europe’s plan is to negotiate with Russia while simultaneously continuing to wage a legal warfare campaign orchestrated through the Council of Europe,” Lavrov said in an article titled “Ukraine, Europe, and Global Security.” “Within this once-respected organisation, a complete infrastructure is being built with the specific purpose of ‘holding Russia accountable’: a Register of Damage, a Claims Commission, and a Special Tribunal,” he added. The Russian foreign minister stated that the European Union has approved the seizure of merchant ships on the high seas. “The EU has also given the green light to detain merchant ships on the high seas. Several incidents have already occurred in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic,” he said. At the same time, Lavrov continued, the West is deliberately turning a blind eye to acts of sabotage by the Ukrainian military in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Lavrov’s article was originally planned for publication in Brussels-based Politico Europe, but the editorial board decided to cancel its publication at the last moment.