Warning S-300 from Russia to Greece
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Greece has no right to transfer the S-300s to another country without Russia’s permission.
Assessing the current problems on Russian state television Pervy Channel, Lavrov also touched on the possibility of Greece supplying Ukraine with S-300 air defense systems. Recalling that these systems were originally planned to be placed in southern Cyprus and eventually delivered to Greece, Lavrov said:
“We have instructed our Ambassador to request the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense to remind him that these systems have been delivered to Greece. Under the agreement, Greece has no right to transfer these systems to anyone without our permission. We remind the Greeks of this. They told us they were careful with their commitments.”
Stating that they are following these issues closely, Lavrov said: “We have to be vigilant. Because many illegal things are done under the slogan ‘We will save Ukraine, because Ukraine is Europe’.
USA. WILL YOU SEND EXPERTS TO UKRAINE?
Assessing the US decision to send Patriot systems to Ukraine, Lavrov continued as follows:
“We asked the Americans if the decision to deliver the hard-to-use Patriot systems through our embassy meant that American experts would be there (in Ukraine). We received a fairly comprehensive response and were told that this was not planned because the Americans did not want to fight Russia directly, that the Patriot systems would be operational in a few months until the Ukrainian military mastered this technology.”
Referring to the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Lavrov stated that they are ready to negotiate with Ukraine, “but the United States did not allow it.”
Expressing that they do not reject offers to reach diplomatic agreements, Sergey Lavrov emphasized that these agreements will be possible if the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia are accepted as belonging to Russia.
On the other hand, Lavrov added that they want to resolve the situation around Ukraine as soon as possible. (AA)