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Peace, normal relations with Ukraine impossible if Kiev remains Russophobic — diplomat

Russophobia cannot serve as a basis for a lasting and reliable peace in Europe, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said
Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya Alexander Shcherbak/TASS
Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya
© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

UNITED NATIONS, March 15. /TASS/. Peace and neighborly relations with Ukraine are impossible in principle as long as the Kiev government sticks to its Russophobic policies, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya told the UN Security Council.

"We would like to underscore that we did not call this meeting to discuss Ukraine’s internal problems. Off-scale Russophobic campaign in that country that was started by Zelensky’s clique poses a direct threat to international peace and security, because in such circumstances, no peace and good neighborly relations with Ukraine are possible at all," Nebenzya said at Tuesday’s session of the Security Council, which convened on Russia’s initiative.

"We did and do want our Ukrainian colleagues to simply observe basic rights and freedoms, which our Western colleagues monitor so scrupulously at home. But somehow, when it comes to Ukraine they apply different standards," the Russian envoy continued.

"Let me ask this question to our Swiss neighbors. To be a Swiss, does one need to reject their Italian, French or German identity? Does this threaten integrity of your nation? If not, why don’t you criticize what the authorities in Kiev are doing to ethnic Russians? I hope you will give a frank assessment to their actions today," he added.

In his words, Russophobia cannot serve as a basis for a lasting and reliable peace in Europe. "You need to realize this clearly," the Russian diplomat said.