MOSCOW, August 10. /TASS/. The EU seeks to extend the conflict in Ukraine; NATO readies for offensive operations in the Arctic; and Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan form a NATO-like defense alliance. These stories topped Monday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
The European Union seeks to prolong the conflict in Ukraine by restricting temporary protection for newly arriving Ukrainian refugees while continuing to supply military support to Kiev, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia. Meanwhile, the United States persists in attempts to restart negotiations between Moscow and Kiev.
"The Europeans are bent on militarization, and their thinking is clear: they believe that Ukrainians returning home will prolong the conflict and, for a while, heighten the damage inflicted on Russia. In addition, European elites, who are facing significant drops in public support, are trying to persuade their voters that the expansion of the Ukrainian armed forces through returning refugees is one of their own achievements," Galuzin noted.
The European Union is seeking "to gain time to boost its defense capabilities, citing plans to prepare for an armed conflict with Russia, which it previously announced," the diplomat added.
