Russia to review its draft on security guarantees once conflict in Ukraine ends: Envoy

On the 115th day of the raging conflict in Kyiv, the Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, stated that Moscow's draft agreement on security guarantees will be adjusted soon after the military operation in Ukraine ends. In an article he wrote for Newsweek, the Russian envoy mentioned that the subsequent developments regarding the same will unveil the West's gravity of interest and readiness to take Moscow's security concerns into account.

"Let me remind you that no one has removed the Russian draft agreements on security guarantees from the table. Of course, after the special military operation will be over, their content will have to be adapted to the realities," the Russian ambassador to the US said in the Newsweek article.

"As for Ukraine itself, the development of the situation with this country is a litmus test that will show the readiness of Western states to take into account Russian concerns. Further progress towards the stabilization of European security will depend on the outcome of the crisis settlement process in Ukraine," he added.

Infuriated over US-led NATO's actions, Antonov accused Washington of interfering in Russia's "internal matters." Seconding Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks from 25th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Antonov claimed that the military alliance's expansionist behaviour posed national security threats to Russia. "For a long time, we patiently explained to our colleagues the inadmissibility of such actions. We warned about the imminence of a strong and adequate response. They didn't listen to us and tried to ignore us purporting that our place is ‘in the back seat,’" he said.

Conflict in Ukraine resulted from decline of US-centric world order: Russian envoy

In his Newsweek article, the Russian envoy also mapped that the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv did not erupt just from issues in east Ukraine. He claimed that the "special military operation" was a result of a "decline in America-centric world order." Antonov explained, "to be more precise, the US' attempts to sustain hegemonic role and proclaim itself as 'guiding star' brought about this conflict."

The US "ruling class" miscalculated when it kept Russia off the list of influencing the global system, he said. "Forerunner of the crisis is the neglect of the US and their allies of the national interests of the Russian Federation. Lack of foresight in such approach was evident from the very beginning," Antonov wrote. He alleged that the US developed a "distorted perception of reality" after it was convinced of winning the Cold War and the consequent collapse of the Soviet Union. "American ruling class made a series of miscalculations, they boil down to one thing: ignoring the role of our country as a backbone factor of the world order," he said.

(Image: AP)