Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Venezuela, and Ukraine

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) discussed major differences between Moscow and Ankara on Syria.

Russia supports the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, free from foreign occupation and infestation by US/NATO/Turkish/Israel/Saudi supported terrorists.

The Erdogan regime opposes all of the above. MZ said officials of both countries maintain contacts with each other.

As for unacceptable demands by Turkey for Syrian forces to pull back from liberated areas, "the first thing to remember is that Syria is a sovereign state," MZ stressed. 

"The Syrian armed forces are operating on their own land. This must be the basic principle." 

"Of course, the Syrian army is interacting with military personnel from Russia and other countries, yet the international community must never forget the basic principle I have mentioned." 

On Friday, Putin and Erdogan spoke by phone. According to the Kremlin, "(t)he focus was again on the current situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone." 

"Vladimir Putin expressed serious concern over ongoing aggressive actions of extremist groups" — supported by the US, Turkey, and their rogue allies.

"The two presidents stressed the necessity of unconditional commitment to Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

What Putin respects, Erdogan rejects.

"The Russian and Turkish presidents agreed to invigorate bilateral inter-ministerial consultations on Idlib to reduce tensions, insure the ceasefire and neutralize the terrorist threat." 

"They agreed that active contacts between the defense ministries would be continued."

According to Turkish media, Erdogan blamed Assad for endless conflict and harm to civilians that has been and continues to be caused by US, NATO, Turkish, Israeli aggression.

He vowed to keep occupying northern Syrian territory illegally. Small scale skirmishes continue between government and hostile Turkish forces, along with jihadists they support.

The situation in Idlib and surrounding areas is clear. Syrian forces are continuing a liberating struggle to eliminate US/Turkish supported jihadists, the nation's fundamental right under international law.

The US and Turkey are hostile occupiers of Syrian territory, both countries supporting jihadists, flagrantly breaching international law, including by the presence of their troops in Syrian territory.

Russia's reconciliation center in Syria urged Ankara to stop "support(ting) terrorists and arming them."

The US, NATO, Israel and the Saudis are doing the same thing. War continues with no resolution in prospect.

MZ: The US "has long given up on international law and some other areas by conducting activities that are incompatible with the status of a law-based state" — what's true about how it operates domestically and geopolitically everywhere, adding:

"Take just the anti-Russia campaign! How does it tally with law? (The US) discredited itself." 

"It has completely left the legal field, (notably by its) acts of aggression against other countries." 

"Millions of civilians were killed. Probably tens of millions became refugees as a result of acts of US aggression against other countries, which lasted for decades."

Addressing the issue of illegal Trump regime sanctions on a Rosneft subsidiary for cooperating with Venezuela legitimately, MZ said the following:

"(O)ur stance (on) sanctions…is not a secret." They're illegal when imposed by one nation on others.

Russia strongly opposes unlawful/unilateral US actions "in pursuit of global hegemony to bend the entire world to its will, contrary to international law."

US sanctions "have not affected and will not be able to affect Russia's course in international affairs, including on the cooperation with the legitimate powers of Venezuela, Syria, Iran or any other country that may be affected or the cooperation with which may be affected by similar unilateral restrictions."

Unacceptable US actions are taken to advance its imperium and "create advantages for (its) companies that cannot sustain honest competition" in the private sector. 

"The destructive sanctions policy of the (US) increasingly undermin(es) the freedom of global trade (and increases) international tensions."

"Washington should finally realize that it will not achieve anything by putting economic and military pressure on Russia. It is a delusion." 

"The only thing Washington is able to do is to aggravate the crisis in the bilateral relations."

Commenting on years of unresolved conflict in Donbass since the Obama regime's February 2014 coup, MZ expressed concern over reports of shelling incidents by Ukrainian forces.

Citing the Lugansk Joint Center for Control and Coordination, she said the situation in Donbass "sharply deteriorated near the disengagement line in Zolotoye on February 18." 

"The Ukrainian army launched intensive fire from various mortar systems. The attack was repelled by the Lugansk People's Republic militia."

Fighting launched by Kiev began not coincidentally "on the fifth anniversary of the Minsk (ceasefire) agreements" — testimony to how the Obama and Trump regimes manipulated Ukraine to continue endless conflict it hasn't won in over five years and won't ahead against redoubtable Donbass forces unwilling to surrender to fascist tyranny in Kiev.

Friday was the 6th anniversary of the Obama regime's coup, replacing democracy in Ukraine with Nazi-infested fascist tyranny, what hasn't changed under President Zelensky — taking orders from the US on geopolitical issues, saluting and obeying.

MZ: What happened wasn't "caused by an emergency or a natural disaster."

It was all about the US wanting Russia surrounded by hostile states, along with Pentagon-led forces encroaching menacingly near its borders.

MZ: The February 2014 coup "was provoked and actively supported by Western nations, primarily the United States." 

"(S)ubsequent developments in Ukraine can only be described as endless political chaos, legal nihilism, and a rampage of ultra nationalism." 

Russia has detailed documented evidence of the 2014 coup and dark forces behind it — headquartered in the US.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

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