米兰体育

Skip to content
NOWCAST 米兰体育 13 10p Newscast
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Russia, US exchange harsh words over Ukraine at UN

Russia, US exchange harsh words over Ukraine at UN
great one colleagues. The situation we're facing in europe is urgent and dangerous. And the stakes for Ukraine and for every U. N. Member state could not be higher. Russia's actions strike at the very heart of the U. N. Charter. This is as clear and consequential a threat to peace and security as anyone can imagine. The United States has been clear if this is truly about Russia's security concerns in europe, we're offering them an opportunity to address these concerns at the negotiating table. If Russia further invades Ukraine, none of us will be able to say we didn't see it coming and the consequent sequences will be horrific necessary when you're supposed to get out of the city. He used to play in Ukraine or nothing in this session of in your machine in the and the politics of the european the media itself, the weight of a crease. He still has been in here his private yes the nationals about Nicholas to Tokyo Kiev. We support they need to keep diplomatic channels with Russia open if that prevents this shift the military tools, my president has reiterated most recently that he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart. The Kremlin must remember that Ukraine is ready to defend itself
Advertisement
Russia, US exchange harsh words over Ukraine at UN
Russia accused the West on Monday of 鈥渨hipping up tensions鈥� over Ukraine and said the U.S. had brought 鈥減ure Nazis鈥� to power in Kyiv as the U.N. Security Council held a stormy and bellicose debate on Moscow's troop buildup near its southern neighbor.U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield shot back that Russia's growing military force of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine鈥檚 borders was 鈥渢he largest mobilization" in Europe in decades, adding that there has been a spike in cyberattacks and Russian disinformation.鈥淎nd they are attempting, without any factual basis, to paint Ukraine and Western countries as the aggressors to fabricate a pretext for attack,鈥� she said.The harsh exchanges in the Security Council came as Moscow lost an attempt to block the meeting and reflected the gulf between the two nuclear powers. It was the first open session where all protagonists in the Ukraine crisis spoke publicly, even though the U.N.'s most powerful body took no action.Although more high-level diplomacy is expected this week, talks between the U.S. and Russia have so far failed to ease tensions in the crisis, with the West saying Moscow is preparing for an invasion. Russia denies it is planning to attack. It demands pledges that Ukraine will never join NATO, a halt to the deployment of NATO weapons near Russian borders and a rollback of the alliance's forces from Eastern Europe. NATO and the U.S. call those nonstarters.Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the Biden administration of 鈥渨hipping up tensions and rhetoric and provoking escalation.鈥濃淵ou are almost pulling for this,鈥� he said, looking at Thomas-Greenfield. 鈥淵ou want it to happen. You鈥檙e waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality.鈥滺e blamed the U.S. for the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, saying it brought to power 鈥渘ationalists, radicals, Russophobes and pure Nazis,鈥� and created the antagonism that exists between Ukraine and Russia.鈥淚f they hadn鈥檛 done this, then we to date would be living in a spirit of good neighborly relations and mutual cooperation,鈥� Nebenzia said. 鈥淗owever, some in the West just don鈥檛 clearly like this positive scenario. What鈥檚 happening today is yet another attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and Ukraine.鈥漀ebenzia pointedly left the council chamber as the Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya started to speak. 鈥淗ow long Russia will pressure, will pursue a clear attempt to push Ukraine and its partners into a Kafka trap?鈥� Kyslytsva asked.The vote on holding an open meeting passed 10-2, with Russia and China opposed, and India, Gabon and Kenya abstaining. Nine 鈥測es" votes were needed for the meeting to go ahead.China鈥檚 Ambassador Zhang Jun said he voted against the public meeting because 鈥渨hat is urgently needed now is quiet diplomacy, not megaphone diplomacy.鈥漈he U.S. and its allies had pressed to hold the meeting Monday, the last day of Norway's rotating presidency of the council, before Russia takes over Tuesday for the month of February.Any statement or resolution by the Security Council is extremely unlikely, given Russia鈥檚 veto power and its ties with others on the council, including China.After all 15 council members spoke, the U.S. and Russia sparred again, with Thomas-Greenfield saying she was 鈥渄isappointed鈥� in Nebenzia鈥檚 comments, stressing that Russian threats of aggression are 鈥減rovocative.鈥濃淚 say to Russia simply this: Your actions will speak for themselves,鈥� the U.S. envoy said.Nebenzia shot back: 鈥淓verything that we wanted to say is in our statement today. However, we really just don鈥檛 understand what threats and provocations and escalation by Russia is being talked about.鈥漃resident Joe Biden said in a statement that the meeting was 鈥渁 critical step in rallying the world to speak out in one voice鈥� to reject the use of force, seek military de-escalation, support diplomacy and demand accountability from every member 鈥渢o refrain from military aggression against its neighbors.鈥滱t the start of a White House meeting with the ruling emir of Qatar, Biden said the U.S. continues to engage in 鈥渘onstop diplomacy,鈥� but "we are ready no matter what happens.鈥漅ussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not make any visible progress in easing the tensions at their meeting in Geneva earlier this month. They are expected to speak by phone Tuesday, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. A senior State Department official confirmed the Russian account.Biden warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call Thursday that there is a 鈥渄istinct possibility鈥� Russia could begin an incursion in February, but the Ukrainian leader sought to play down the war fears, saying Western alarm over an imminent invasion has prompted many investors in the country鈥檚 financial markets to cash out.Zelenskyy said Friday that 鈥渨e aren鈥檛 seeing any escalation bigger than before,鈥� and charged that the Russian buildup could be an attempt by Moscow to exert 鈥減sychological pressure鈥� and sow panic.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Ukraine on Tuesday for talks with Zelenskyy, and will also speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge him to 鈥渟tep back,鈥� Johnson鈥檚 office said. Johnson says he is considering sending hundreds of British troops to NATO countries in the Baltic region as a show of strength.Speaking Sunday on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week,鈥� Thomas-Greenfield said of Russia: 鈥漌e鈥檙e going into the room prepared to listen to them, but we鈥檙e not going to be distracted by their propaganda.鈥漇he said last week that council members 鈥渕ust squarely examine the facts and consider what is at stake for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and for the core obligations and principles of the international order should Russia further invade Ukraine.鈥漁n Friday, China's ambassador Zhang said both sides have shown willingness to continue negotiations and should be allowed to continue.On Sunday, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez, said that in the event of an attack, lawmakers want Russia to face 鈥渢he mother of all sanctions.鈥� That includes actions against Russian banks that could severely undermine the Russian economy and increased lethal aid to Ukraine鈥檚 military.The sanctions under consideration would apparently be significantly stronger than those imposed after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Those penalties have been seen as ineffective.Menendez also raised the prospect of imposing punishments preemptively, before any invasion.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday the administration was encouraged by the bipartisan effort in Congress "to hold Russia accountable.鈥� The administration has previously expressed concern that preemptive sanctions could diminish their leverage on Russia, but the White House sounded warmer to the prospect as the Foreign Relations Committee moves to act.鈥淥ur view is that sanctions can be an effective tool of deterrence, and the deepening sell-off in Russian markets reflects our message to Russia,鈥� Psaki said.___Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.

Russia accused the West on Monday of 鈥渨hipping up tensions鈥� over Ukraine and said the U.S. had brought 鈥減ure Nazis鈥� to power in Kyiv as the U.N. Security Council held a stormy and bellicose debate on Moscow's troop buildup near its southern neighbor.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield shot back that Russia's growing military force of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine鈥檚 borders was 鈥渢he largest mobilization" in Europe in decades, adding that there has been a spike in cyberattacks and Russian disinformation.

Advertisement

鈥淎nd they are attempting, without any factual basis, to paint Ukraine and Western countries as the aggressors to fabricate a pretext for attack,鈥� she said.

The harsh exchanges in the Security Council came as Moscow lost an attempt to block the meeting and reflected the gulf between the two nuclear powers. It was the first open session where all protagonists in the Ukraine crisis spoke publicly, even though the U.N.'s most powerful body took no action.

Although more high-level diplomacy is expected this week, talks between the U.S. and Russia have so far failed to ease tensions in the crisis, with the West saying Moscow is preparing for an invasion. Russia denies it is planning to attack. It demands pledges that Ukraine will never join NATO, a halt to the deployment of NATO weapons near Russian borders and a rollback of the alliance's forces from Eastern Europe. NATO and the U.S. call those nonstarters.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the Biden administration of 鈥渨hipping up tensions and rhetoric and provoking escalation.鈥�

鈥淵ou are almost pulling for this,鈥� he said, looking at Thomas-Greenfield. 鈥淵ou want it to happen. You鈥檙e waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality.鈥�

He blamed the U.S. for the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, saying it brought to power 鈥渘ationalists, radicals, Russophobes and pure Nazis,鈥� and created the antagonism that exists between Ukraine and Russia.

鈥淚f they hadn鈥檛 done this, then we to date would be living in a spirit of good neighborly relations and mutual cooperation,鈥� Nebenzia said. 鈥淗owever, some in the West just don鈥檛 clearly like this positive scenario. What鈥檚 happening today is yet another attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and Ukraine.鈥�

Nebenzia pointedly left the council chamber as the Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya started to speak. 鈥淗ow long Russia will pressure, will pursue a clear attempt to push Ukraine and its partners into a Kafka trap?鈥� Kyslytsva asked.

The vote on holding an open meeting passed 10-2, with Russia and China opposed, and India, Gabon and Kenya abstaining. Nine 鈥測es" votes were needed for the meeting to go ahead.

China鈥檚 Ambassador Zhang Jun said he voted against the public meeting because 鈥渨hat is urgently needed now is quiet diplomacy, not megaphone diplomacy.鈥�

The U.S. and its allies had pressed to hold the meeting Monday, the last day of Norway's rotating presidency of the council, before Russia takes over Tuesday for the month of February.

Any statement or resolution by the Security Council is extremely unlikely, given Russia鈥檚 veto power and its ties with others on the council, including China.

After all 15 council members spoke, the U.S. and Russia sparred again, with Thomas-Greenfield saying she was 鈥渄isappointed鈥� in Nebenzia鈥檚 comments, stressing that Russian threats of aggression are 鈥減rovocative.鈥�

鈥淚 say to Russia simply this: Your actions will speak for themselves,鈥� the U.S. envoy said.

Nebenzia shot back: 鈥淓verything that we wanted to say is in our statement today. However, we really just don鈥檛 understand what threats and provocations and escalation by Russia is being talked about.鈥�

President Joe Biden said in a statement that the meeting was 鈥渁 critical step in rallying the world to speak out in one voice鈥� to reject the use of force, seek military de-escalation, support diplomacy and demand accountability from every member 鈥渢o refrain from military aggression against its neighbors.鈥�

At the start of a White House meeting with the ruling emir of Qatar, Biden said the U.S. continues to engage in 鈥渘onstop diplomacy,鈥� but "we are ready no matter what happens.鈥�

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not make any visible progress in easing the tensions at their meeting in Geneva earlier this month. They are expected to speak by phone Tuesday, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. A senior State Department official confirmed the Russian account.

Biden warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call Thursday that there is a 鈥渄istinct possibility鈥� Russia could begin an incursion in February, but the Ukrainian leader sought to play down the war fears, saying Western alarm over an imminent invasion has prompted many investors in the country鈥檚 financial markets to cash out.

Zelenskyy said Friday that 鈥渨e aren鈥檛 seeing any escalation bigger than before,鈥� and charged that the Russian buildup could be an attempt by Moscow to exert 鈥減sychological pressure鈥� and sow panic.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Ukraine on Tuesday for talks with Zelenskyy, and will also speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge him to 鈥渟tep back,鈥� Johnson鈥檚 office said. Johnson says he is considering sending hundreds of British troops to NATO countries in the Baltic region as a show of strength.

Speaking Sunday on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week,鈥� Thomas-Greenfield said of Russia: 鈥漌e鈥檙e going into the room prepared to listen to them, but we鈥檙e not going to be distracted by their propaganda.鈥�

She said last week that council members 鈥渕ust squarely examine the facts and consider what is at stake for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and for the core obligations and principles of the international order should Russia further invade Ukraine.鈥�

On Friday, China's ambassador Zhang said both sides have shown willingness to continue negotiations and should be allowed to continue.

On Sunday, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez, said that in the event of an attack, lawmakers want Russia to face 鈥渢he mother of all sanctions.鈥� That includes actions against Russian banks that could severely undermine the Russian economy and increased lethal aid to Ukraine鈥檚 military.

The sanctions under consideration would apparently be significantly stronger than those imposed after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Those penalties have been seen as ineffective.

Menendez also raised the prospect of imposing punishments preemptively, before any invasion.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday the administration was encouraged by the bipartisan effort in Congress "to hold Russia accountable.鈥� The administration has previously expressed concern that preemptive sanctions could diminish their leverage on Russia, but the White House sounded warmer to the prospect as the Foreign Relations Committee moves to act.

鈥淥ur view is that sanctions can be an effective tool of deterrence, and the deepening sell-off in Russian markets reflects our message to Russia,鈥� Psaki said.

___

Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.