Russian President Vladimir Putin with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at Kremlin today. Photo source: kremlin.ru
Moscow: The Russian war exercises on the border with Belarus, that whipped up hysteria across the globe, are to be over on February 20, 2022. Does this mean the end of the escalation?
The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko today met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kremlin – their first meeting in person this year – and Putin told him, “And, of course, we will discuss the developments in the region and evaluate our military cooperation: right now, our military exercises are in the active phase. Tomorrow we will also take part in an important event in this complex of military cooperation.”
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Kremlin stated today that the discussion between the two leaders focused on the further development of Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic partnership and alliance, as well as topical problems of European security.
Earlier when asked whether the end of war exercise meant the end of the escalation, Russian Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov quipped: “As for when the de-escalation begins or when the escalation ends. This is not our expression. We did not invent it. It was invented by propagandists. Now it has become a cliche. Today no European or US politician speaks without using this expression of concern about escalation, and all demand de-escalation.”
Lavrov was speaking with journalists at a joint news conference following talks with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi di Maio, yesterday evening. He sounded sceptical when he said: “The question about February 20 is not for me. February 20 is the day when our exercises will be over, as it was announced. I don’t know if the escalation will end on February 20.”
Lavrov explained that Russia was not the one making a big issue out of it. “It’s not us doing it. Politico, a well-known disseminator of information about what is happening on the Russian-Ukrainian border, citing “the most reliable information,” declared that what did not take place yesterday will begin on February 20, that is, there will be an invasion. Elizabeth Truss [Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom] who recently visited Moscow said yesterday that, according to her assessment, the escalation of tensions could last for months. Maybe they intend to continue it until the next cold spell. I don’t know. The question is not for us,” he said.
– global bihari bureau
