REVISES HEADLINE & LEDE; ADDS STATEMENT BY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY ON SUMMONING OF FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW; EDITS THROUGHOUT
By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Monday summoned the French and British ambassadors to the country to its Foreign Ministry, citing recent statements on Ukraine from Paris and London.
Multiple media outlets reported that British Ambassador Nigel Casey and French Ambassador Pierre Levy arrived at the Russian Foreign Ministry building and stayed for 30 and 40 minutes, respectively.
A Foreign Ministry statement on Casey's summoning said Russia's protest was conveyed to the ambassador over Foreign Secretary David Cameron's remarks about "Ukraine's right to strike Russian territory using British weapons."
According to the statement, Casey said Cameron's remarks contradicted previously conveyed assurances from the British side when transferring long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, and that the missiles would not in fact be used on Russian territory.
"Thus, the head of the (British) Foreign Office disavowed this position, de facto recognizing his country as a party to the conflict," the statement said, adding that the ambassador was told that Moscow views Cameron's remarks as "evidence of a serious escalation and confirmation of London's increasing involvement in military operations on the side of Kyiv."
Casey was warned Russia could target any British military facility and equipment "in Ukraine and beyond" if Ukraine strikes its territory with British weapons, the statement said, adding that he was urged to "think about the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps from London" and immediately disclaim Cameron's "provocative" statements.
The ministry later released a statement on Levy's summoning, which it said was done "in connection with increasingly bellicose statements by the French leadership and incoming information about France’s growing involvement in the conflict around Ukraine."
The statement said Moscow conveyed its assessment of the policy undertaken by Paris, which it described as "destructive and provocative" and "leading to further escalation of the conflict" in Ukraine.
It stressed that “the attempts of the French authorities to create some 'strategic uncertainty' for Russia with their irresponsible statements about the possible dispatch of Western military contingents to Ukraine are doomed to failure.”
Last week, Macron reaffirmed in an interview with The Economist that he had not ruled out the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine.
“If the Russians were to break through the frontlines, if there were a Ukrainian request – which is not the case today – we would legitimately have to ask ourselves this question,” Macron said when asked if other allies agreed with him on sending troops as a means of deterrence against Russia.
Moreover, during a visit to Kyiv on Friday, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron reportedly spoke in support of Ukrainian strikes on targets in Russia with weapons supplied by London. Sky News said Cameron argued that Ukraine "absolutely has the right" to strike back at Moscow's military actions.