UNITED NATIONS, March 8. /TASS/. The US is manipulating assistance to the people of Afghanistan under various far-fetched pretexts, Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, Anna Yevstigneyeva, said at a meeting of the UN Security Council devoted to the situation in that country.
"A year and a half ago, 20 long years of war in Afghanistan ended with the comeback to power of the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) and a hasty flight of foreign troops. To the chronic problems that had for years remained unresolved by the corrupt regime of Ashraf Ghani [overthrown in 2021 President] new challenges were added," Yevstigneyeva said. "At the same time, our US counterparts, acting with the support of their allies, hurried to place the responsibility for the actual collapse of the country, as well as for the consequences of their inglorious military campaign, on the shoulders of the authorities in their usual manner and continue to do this now, blackmailing the population with humanitarian aid and manipulating with assistance under various artificial pretexts."
"Under the guise of a benefactor and champion of the rights of women and young girls, Washington hides its true face," Yevstigneyeva said. "Numerous war crimes committed by the US and NATO military, under the threat of sanctions are still being erased from the pages of history as if they never happened. Likewise, the true reasons for such a long stay in Afghanistan are kept quiet about, not to mention the stolen Afghan assets, which are now may even be used for other purposes in other trouble spots."
Against this background, she said, the loud statements of Western countries about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and the suffering of the people, as well as calls for using the "sanction stick" and increasing political and economic pressure on the authorities de facto look immoral. "They [the West] lack the courage to admit that its favorite methods no longer work," the Russian diplomat stressed.
"Western donors continue to block UN efforts to expand assistance beyond basic needs. They categorically reject the possibility of assisting the country's development, restoring schools and hospitals, and building roads," Yevstigneyeva said.