IN BRIEF: MFA comments on readying for G20 ministers’ meet, 'insatiable monster’s' gamble
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Vladimir Zelensky, deliberately speculating on the EU migration problems, turned to outright threats
MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has called Vladimir Zelensky, who demanded 70 billion euros from the European Union for Ukraine's military needs in 2027, an insatiable monster.
She noted that Zelensky, deliberately speculating on the EU migration problems, turned to outright threats.
Zakharova said that Russia is actively preparing to participate in the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Group of Twenty (G20) countries in Atlanta, but sees "alarming trends" on the part of the United States.
TASS has compiled the key statements by the official representative of the Foreign Ministry.
G20 ministerial council
Russia is actively preparing to participate in the G20 ministerial council in Atlanta, but sees "alarming trends" on the part of the United States: "We have been preparing and are preparing, and our experts are doing it actively. The event is important because the ministerial G20 is preparatory for the summit, which is scheduled for December 14-15."
Despite the US administration statements, there are "some artificial restrictions for full-fledged Russian participation, some limits for the composition of the delegation, some incomprehensible conversations about statuses, visas, and accreditations."
Two months ago, Russia provided the United States with the lists of the delegation to the council, but it turned out that they "did not receive proper logistical support and confirmation, as we were told literally at night."
Zelensky's speculation
Zelensky, who at the EU summit in Brussels demanded 70 billion euros from the European Union for Ukraine's military needs in 2027, is an insatiable monster: "How much money do you think was raised by this insatiable monster this time? He needed at least 70 billion euros, as he stated."
Zelensky "did not bother with good manners and very brazenly demanded from the EU supervisors an additional increase in allocations for military needs."
"To enhance the compliance of the EU partners," Zelensky, deliberately speculating on the EU's migration problems, turned to outright threats.
Unrest in Europe
Russia has no information about its citizens injured during the riots in Europe: "We do not have data on Russian citizens injured during the riots. Our foreign institutions have not received such requests, and there have been no media reports on this issue."
The West's confrontational line
There are no prerequisites for changing the EU's confrontational line against Russia yet: "We note that the current European leaders, the vast majority of them, lack a strategic vision. We see undisguised Russophobia. We take all this into account and say that this is absolutely unacceptable for us."
Russia is ready to use all means to ensure security: "If necessary, the Russian Federation is ready to use a full range of available forces and means to stop and eliminate emerging threats."
Russia constantly warns NATO against unwinding the spiral of confrontation: "We regularly bring this principled approach to the leadership of the member countries of the bloc and the international NATO secretariat. At the same time, we are using all the diplomatic channels available to us, including multilateral platforms, to prevent further escalation of the spiral of confrontation and to convince them of the need to form a continental-wide Eurasian security and cooperation architecture."
Russia will respond "proportionately and effectively" to Finland's dangerous course of "total militarization of the country, including lifting restrictions on the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory."
Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin drew attention to herself with a custom-made "stupidly aggressive" call to shoot down Russian military aircraft during their invasion of the airspace of EU and NATO countries: "We drew attention to the some kind of detached from reality and not even bellicose, but stupidly aggressive proposal by the former head of the Finnish government Sanna Marin to shoot down Russian military aircraft that allegedly violate the airspace of the EU and NATO countries."
Reaction to Ukrainian drones in Europe
Russia is "looking forward" to Poland and Lithuania’s reaction to the Ukrainian drone appearance on their territory: "We have been waiting impatiently for the reaction of Warsaw and Vilnius for several days.
"What will be offered to the Kiev regime? Option A is the closure of embassies and general consulates. Option B is the expulsion of Ukrainian diplomats. Option C is to summon the Ukrainian ambassadors with a tough demarche. But it seems to me that there is option D - the development of a package of sanctions against the Kiev regime. We proceed from the fact that simply closing the Ukrainian House here, of course, will not do."
New rules of entry to Kazakhstan
Russia is counting on additional clarifications from Kazakhstan in connection with the new rules of entry to the country: "We believe that such clarifications would be useful for timely informing citizens in the interests of unhindered mutual travel, work, and the development of business and humanitarian ties."
Russia respects "the sovereign right of the republic to improve national migration legislation."
Poland's actions
Moscow decries Warsaw's runaway Russophobia: "We strongly condemn the systematic planting of rampant Russophobia by official Warsaw, which directly results in the blasphemy of vandals against Soviet war memorials."
Relations with Japan
The Russian Foreign Ministry is in contact with the Japanese embassy in connection with the detention in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk of a Hokkaido Shimbun reporter: "We proceed from the fact that the interests of the detained Japanese citizen are represented by the diplomatic mission of this country."
Russia will not leave Japan's supply of combat drones to Ukraine without a harsh response: "Our country has a resource for this.
"We regard this as an overtly hostile step, taken despite repeated warnings from the Russian side about the unacceptability of such actions and their adverse impact on bilateral relations."
The joint Japan-US drills Keen Sword pose risks to the security of Russia's Far Eastern borders: "Amid Japan’s current course toward remilitarization, this military activity, like many others, has lost its original strictly defensive character as previously defined in Japanese legislation."
Elections in Serbia
Russian representatives will observe the parliamentary elections in Serbia at the invitation of Belgrade: "Russia’s official representatives will participate in monitoring the voting - delegations from both chambers of the Federal Assembly and the Central Election Commission at the invitation of the Serbian side."
Russia-Africa Summit
The plenary session of the Third Russia-Africa Summit with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for October 29: "On October 29, a plenary session will be held under the co-chairmanship of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Chairman-in-Office of the African Union, President of the Republic of Burundi [Evariste Ndayishimiye] as well as their final joint press conference."
The signing of a solid package of interstate agreements and commercial contracts is expected at the summit: "We believe that the third summit will be a new milestone in the development of cooperation between Russia and the African continent."
Most of the African delegations have already confirmed their participation: "As you know, the heads of all African states and heads of regional integration associations of the continent were invited to the event. By now, most of the African delegations have confirmed their participation in the upcoming meeting."