WASHINGTON, December 4. /TASS/. The recent talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Sweden’s capital of Stockholm were ‘very cordial,’ but also ‘very direct,’ US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said.
"[During his European visit,] the Secretary also met with Foreign Minister Lavrov. It was very cordial, very professional and very direct," she said during a video conference at the Washington-based Brookings Institution.
Commenting on West’s claims about the possibility of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which Russia has consistently rejected, the US diplomat said: "I think everyone understands what we have here. And we have heard very strong statements out of European capitals and European leaders that should Putin take this action, virtually everything will be on the table."
Statements about Russia’s potential incursion into Ukraine have recently been heard in Western countries and Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov slammed those allegations as a hollow and groundless escalation of tension. Peskov pointed out that Russia poses no threat. However, he did not rule out the possibility of provocations to justify those statements, but warned that any attempts to solve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine by force would have the most severe implications.
Peskov assured that Russia would do its utmost to help Ukraine resolve the Donbass conflict, while remaining committed to the Normandy format and the Minsk agreements.