loading…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused by the United States of having ambitions to restore the Soviet Union, which collapsed three decades ago. Photo/REUTERS
Blinken did not provide evidence to support his assertion.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday (9/1/2022), Blinken was asked if he agreed with former defense minister Leon Panetta, who once said that President Putin was driven by a desire to restore the old Soviet Union.
Also read: Tense US-Russian Talks on Ukraine Begin
“I think that’s true, I think that’s one of President Putin’s goals, and that is to reuse the sphere of influence over countries that were previously part of the Soviet Union,” Blinken replied.
He went on to say that the US considers such wishes “unacceptable” because a world with a sphere of influence is “a recipe for instability, a recipe for conflict, a recipe that causes world wars.”
Ahead of US and Russian negotiations on the Ukraine crisis in Geneva starting today (10/1/2022), Blinken claimed that the Americans were committed to doing everything they could to resolve tensions over Ukraine by peaceful means.
However, he continued, any progress would only be possible on a reciprocal basis.
“It’s hard to see making actual progress in an escalating atmosphere, with a gun [ditodongkan] to the head of Ukraine,” he said.
Therefore, said Blinken, Russia should take steps to “de-escalate”.
“We are committed to dialogue and diplomacy to see if we can resolve this challenge peacefully. That is by far the preferred path, by far the most responsible path,” he said.
“But together we are ready to face Russia firmly if it chooses confrontation, if it chooses aggression,” he said, insisting the ball was now in Moscow.
(min)
– .
