MoF summons US diplomats over WH comments on strikes on Crimea
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Russia's Foreign Ministry summons US diplomats in order to protest Washington's hypocritical stance on Crimea and weapons use by Ukraine.
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Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow (Archive)
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it has summoned senior US diplomats in protest of the recent speech by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan legitimizing Ukraine's employment of Western weapons to strike at Crimea.
"Senior diplomats of the US diplomatic mission in Moscow were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on May 26, a strong protest was expressed about the unacceptable statements of the White House National Security Advisor J. Sullivan, who actually approved the strikes of the armed formations of the regime in Kiev on Russian territory, including the Republic of Crimea and the Belgorod region," the Foreign ministry's statement read.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also warned Washington that any form of aggression against Russia will be met with a severe response from Moscow.
Earlier this week, Sullivan said that Washington doesn't allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike at the Russian mainland, while noting that the US does recognize the Crimean peninsula to be part of Russia.
"The assurances of US officials that the United States does not encourage such attacks on Russia are hypocritical and false, given the direct evidence of the use of weapons and equipment supplied for the needs of the Ukraine military by the Pentagon for the preparation and implementation of terrorist acts by Ukrainian militants," the ministry stated.
Read more: Ukraine says hopes to get F-16 fighter jets by fall
Earlier this week, Russia's Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said the United States must understand that Ukrainian strikes on Crimea would be viewed as an attack on any other region of Russia, while the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Kiev raises the question of NATO’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
"I would like to warn representatives of the administration against frivolous judgments on Crimea, especially in terms of ‘blessing’ the Kiev regime for air attacks on the peninsula," Antonov stressed.
Read more: Second time this week, Russian jets intercept US bombers in Baltic Sea
