US at UN Says It won’t be Fooled by Russian Lies

As the Russian war versus Ukraine is showing no signs of abatement after seven years, the political world is maintaining requisite pressure on Moscow to cease and desist.

In her first statement on this topic, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, emphatically told Moscow—and the world—that the United States “will not be fooled” by Russian lies and fabrications.

“Moscow took revenge against Ukraine for its decision to chart a path toward democratic reforms,” Thomas-Greenfield declared on March 12. “It’s time to end Russia’s occupation of Crimea and its aggression in Eastern Ukraine.”

Thomas-Greenfield’s strong reprimand of Russia’s illegal and belligerent behavior against a neighboring country follows a long line of similar valiant statements by US ambassadors to the UN. Furthermore, the UN General Assembly also adopted on numerous occasions resolutions that condemn Moscow for being an aggressor state in Ukraine.

Thomas-Greenfield quoted President Biden as saying last month, “when Russia invaded its neighbors, it did not just violate another country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, it violated international law and the very norms by which modern countries engage with one another.”

The American diplomat disputed Moscow’s often repeated claim that its aggression in eastern Ukraine is not an “internal Ukrainian conflict.” Indeed, it is as much of a war as was Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland and France.

“Russia funds, arms, trains, leads, and fights alongside its proxy forces and armed groups in eastern Ukraine. Its invasion of Crimea was followed by a series of killings and the disappearances of at least a dozen opponents of the occupation. These actions remain unresolved, and they need to be investigated. And we urge Russia to release the more than 100 Ukrainian political prisoners it is holding,” she declared.

The New Year began with several high-level condemnations of Moscow’s war against Ukraine, which claimed by now some 14,000 civilian and military lives. Allies of Ukraine have been doing so for seven years.

Echoing historic observations by European leaders which have highlighted the organic connection between independent Ukraine and Europe’s existence, Charles Michel, president of the European Council, believes there is “no Europe without Ukraine.”

Michel told a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on March 3, that Ukraine and the EU “share common values: democracy, rule of law, respect for international law, and human rights,” according to an UNIAN.

The EU is Ukraine’s “most reliable partner,” Michel emphasized.

The top official repeated the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders.

Recalling what he saw on March 2, when he was taken to the frontline in Donbas, Michel said he “saw with my own eyes the devastating impact of a nearly seven-year conflict on the security situation and on people’s lives.” He called Russia’s war in Ukraine a tragedy, in which “people continue to die.”

Michel has stressed that the full implementation of Minsk agreements remains “essential.” In a perfect world that would be possible but not in one, in which Russia does as it pleases, disdainfully snubbing agreements and truces.

He said the Minsk Agreement, which Moscow relegated to a sheet of paper, is nonetheless the way forward to peace and the EU “will continue to fully support the diplomatic efforts to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and continue to back the conflict resolution efforts taken by you, Mr. President.”

In January, the United Kingdom expressed its support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and pledged to continue to do so in the future.

“Today (January 10) marks the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and Ukraine. The UK strongly supports Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity and will continue to do so in the future,” the British Embassy in Ukraine posted on Twitter.

London recalled that Ukraine and the UK signed a “historic” strategic partnership agreement in 2020, which opens up new opportunities for deepening British-Ukrainian relations and cooperation.

Additionally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not waste time before pledging to continue US economic and military support to Ukraine under President Biden’s administration.

In a phone call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on February 1, Blinken “emphasized strong bipartisan support for Ukraine and the priority the United States places on Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” the State Department said in a readout of the call. “He pledged to continue robust U.S. economic and military assistance to Ukraine,” it added, while working on a diplomatic resolution to Russia's aggression in eastern Ukraine and Crimea.

Blinken called on Ukraine to maintain progress on fighting corruption and implementing rule of law and economic reforms. The two also discussed the coronavirus pandemic.

The continuous wave of support for Ukraine in the face of Moscow’s ongoing aggression has never swayed Russia from its mission of re-subjugating Ukraine. On February 8, Dmitriy Peskov, press secretary of the Russian president, stated that protection of what Moscow calls the “Russian World” or its near abroad, which basically was its captive nations, has been and will remain a priority of the Russian government. According to the statement, Moscow believes that Ukraine is also a part of this world. Peskov emphasized that there is a great number of Russians and Russian-speaking people residing in Ukraine. He believes those people are part of the “Russian World,” therefore, Russia will continue its current policies towards Ukraine with the help of ‘soft power,’ presumably non-armed force. Nazi Germany preached a similar thinking. Incidentally, Peskov declined to mention ethnic Ukrainians in Russia who are denied their rights.

In life there are lies, great lies and Russian lies. Moscow feigns concern for war escalation in Ukraine while intensifying its military presence and assaults. Earlier this month the Kremlin called on France and Germany to use their influence with the Ukrainian government to make sure that events in eastern Ukraine, where tensions have been rising, did not cross a Rubicon.

Peskov, the official liar, told reporters that Moscow was seriously concerned by an uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine on the contact line between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces, whom he accused of illegal shelling.

“We also hope all our partners in the ... (Normandy) quartet will pay attention to the growing tension on the contact line and will use their influence to prevent this escalation from crossing a dangerous line,” Peskov said.

Russia’s fabrications and denials attempt to paint a picture of Ukraine violating truce agreements and the causes of the war, insisting that what’s happening in Donbas is a civil war. As numerous third party observers have testified, the war in Donbas was instigated by Moscow and executed by Russian soldiers and their lackeys.

For example, UNIAN reported that Russia-led forces mounted 10 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas on Saturday, March 13.

In particular, enemy troops used 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, rifles to attack Ukrainian positions near the village of Pisky, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Headquarters said in a morning update on Facebook on March 14.

The enemy also used grenade launchers and rifles near the village of Vodiane the Pryazovia area (the north coast of the Sea of Azov). In the same sector, an enemy UAV dropped two VOG-17 explosive projectiles over Ukrainian positions. Moreover, Russia-led forces opened fire at Ukrainian positions near the village of Pivdenne, using large-caliber machine guns and anti-tank grenade launchers. Ukrainian JFO units had to fire back.

Ukraine’s Chief Intelligence Department reports that illegal armed units in Donbas – i.e. Russians – are deploying extra firing positions for machine gunners and anti-tank missile launchers. They also increased the number of snipers to be involved in combat, the press office of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported on March 9.

All of this is leading to a Russian escalation of the war. The administrations controlled by the militants of Russian self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics occupied Donbas are preparing to more combat actions against Ukraine, reported the Eastern Human Rights Group on Facebook.

If and when such an escalation becomes reality and Russian mercenaries will have denied the peace plan in Donbas offered by Ukraine’s delegation in Minsk group, then the Ukrainian military will switch to more active resistance to Russian aggression. Leonid Kravchuk, the head of the Ukrainian delegation and the first president of Ukraine, expressed this radical opinion in a recent commentary, as quoted by Ukrinform.

“We know that the troops are brought in, we know that training and exercises are taking place. But the Ukrainian army is not the same it was five years ago – we are ready to stand our ground. We can’t help but see the threats when they’re there. And we will respond to them adequately – but without provoking any actions that are dangerous for lives of people,” Kravchuk said.

President Zelenskyy intimated as much, when he stated that for the de-occupation of the Crimean Peninsula, international partners must take more effective steps, including sanctions for human rights violations.

“I am grateful for the consistent policy of the European Union on non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea. At the same time, more effective international steps are needed. The issue of Crimea must be put on the international agenda,” Zelenskyy said.

“The EU has recently adopted a new sanction regime for human rights violations. In this regard, I proposed the introduction of similar sanctions against those who commit arbitrariness on the occupied peninsula. This could be a powerful contribution of Brussels to the Crimean platform,” he added.

It is encouraging for Ukraine to hear such declarations of support for fighting to rescue its nation and land from Russian aggression; and tough sanctions against the country and leaders. But the infuriating question remains: Why isn’t Russia listening? Why hasn’t Russia yielded to the global demands? Either what has been said by many officials has been too weak and fanciful, or Russia really doesn’t want to be bothered as it pursues aggression against Ukraine? The righteous are intent on condemning Moscow while simultaneously continuing to meet, greet and do business with Kremlin officials.

There have been voices urging stronger actions against Moscow because that’s all the Russian rulers understand. Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevičius, among others, urged that the free world maintain tight sanctions against the Kremlin.

Stewart McDonald, member of Scottish Parliament and a spokesperson for defense issues, observed recently in The Scotsman, “Condemning Russia’s actions in Crimea is worth doing, but it’s not enough.”

Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, correctly believes Russian leaders must be punished for all crimes committed against the civilian population and military personnel in Ukraine.

Speaking with Obozrevatel, Khomchak pointed out that it’s the authorities in the Kremlin that are at war with Ukraine, not the entire Russian nation.

“For all crimes against the civilian population and military personnel in Ukraine, Russia must be held accountable,” Khomchak said. "For every home destroyed, for every life of our people, broken or lost.”

But something is missing. Wining and dining Russians with the right hand while denouncing them with the left has to end for peace to return to Ukraine and the region. Severing diplomatic relations and arresting Russian diplomats will be helpful until Russian troops and their terrorist partners simply pack up and leave.