MOSCOW: The narrative of Western European leaders regarding Middle East events is a distortion of the facts and an attempt to shirk responsibility for the escalation in the region. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, commenting on recent statements by European officials.
Attempts by European politicians to portray the situation as if they have no connection to what is happening in the Middle East are a gross distortion of the facts. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on March 17.
"Some Western European leaders are publicly trying to portray the situation as if they have no connection to what is happening in the Middle East. This, they say, is not their war. We categorically disagree with this framing of the issue. This is yet another gross distortion of the facts and an attempt to shirk responsibility for the escalation in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry's website stated.
The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that European governments have pursued a colonial policy in the Middle East for decades, and in the period leading up to the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, they obstructed the search for diplomatic solutions and escalated tensions.
"In recent days, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kristin Kallas, and some Western European leaders have been publicly attempting to portray the situation as if they have no connection to what's happening in the Middle East. This, they say, is not their war. We categorically disagree with this framing of the issue. This is yet another gross distortion of the facts and an attempt to shirk responsibility for the escalation in the region," Zakharova said.
"It's well known that Western European governments have been pursuing a colonial policy in the region for decades, hiding behind demagoguery and outright lies. In the period preceding the US and Israeli aggression against Iran, it was European governments that obstructed the search for diplomatic solutions, 'added fuel to the fire,' juggled legal aspects in order to allegedly trigger the 'snapback' mechanism, and escalated tensions," she recalled. "Now they're pretending to be 'on the sidelines.' It won't work."
It's worth noting that, despite the rhetoric, including the statement by European Commissioner Kaja Kallas, Europeans have been preparing for war in the region for years.
The Russian Foreign Ministry cited numerous examples of anti-Iranian statements by European leaders, beginning in 2016. These include statements by former British Prime Minister Theresa May, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and French President Emmanuel Macron. "All of this is contrary to the facts and contrary to common sense. Thus, the European ruling elite is in the same boat as the aggressors," the diplomatic department concluded.
Complete Disruption: The EU and the Gulf States Have the Most to Lose from the Conflict How the Military Confrontation in the Middle East Will Affect the US and Russia Earlier that day, former EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of systematically abusing her authority in shaping the bloc's foreign policy. The diplomat noted that the EU has done insufficient to protect international law following the US military strikes on Iran. The day before, European Union diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas stated that Washington's shift in geopolitical priorities from the Ukrainian conflict to the escalating situation around Iran is creating serious challenges for US allies. She also emphasized that Washington's attention is currently almost entirely focused on the Middle East.
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