WASHINGTON, March 3./TASS/. The US is not seeking a new Cold War, but urges Russia to listen to the opinion of the world in the situation around Ukraine, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told TASS on Thursday.

"Nobody wants a new Cold War," the senior diplomat said when asked where are the international relations moving toward in the light of the current developments.

"But Russia needs to listen to the opinion of the world. 141 countries in the UN yesterday condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine," Victoria Nuland said referring to the resolution condemning Russia’s operation in Ukraine passed by the UN General Assembly. The resolution is not binding. Five countries voted against it, and 35 abstained.

The US is still ready for talks with Russia on Ukraine, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told.

"My response to this is that we tried for months, and months and months to talk to Russia, about its security concerns in November in December, in January and in February, and we are still ready to talk to Russia," Victoria Nuland said.

"But President Putin has to end this war. He is turning Ukraine into rubble," she went on to say.

"And as he gets ready for martial law in Russia," the senior diplomat said without substantiating this statement with any facts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He said Moscow had no plans for an occupation of Ukrainian territories. The sole purpose is the country’s demilitarization and denazification. The Russian Defense Ministry says its forces are not attacking cities. Their focus is entirely on military infrastructures.

Moscow is confident that the current hysteria will fade away and the West will get over it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Russian and foreign media outlets on Thursday.

"I am sure that this hysteria will fade away and our Western partners will get over it," he pointed out. "We are always prepared for dialogue on the condition that it is based on equality and respect for each other’s interests," he pointed out.