US slammed for creating war hysteria in Europe against Russia

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia said on Wednesday that it has no intention of going to war in Europe, blaming US-influenced politicians and public figures for inciting people and lying against Moscow.

At a press conference in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged the West to stop accusing Russia of planning a war in Europe, blaming NATO countries for launching a slew of new myths and frightening stories about the inevitability of a fresh conflict.

"As we can see, Washington-influenced political and public figures in the NATO and EU countries have actively begun to speak in the last few weeks about the need to prepare either for a war with our country or a conflict, another round of tension," she said.

According to the spokesperson, "the peoples of the EU countries are terrified by such rhetoric," and they are trying to understand what is at stake.

"We are talking about only one thing, and it is clear that they (peoples in Europe) will not be told about it (by their governments). It's about scraping out the last pennies to help the Kyiv regime because Washington has said that it's not up to him to do this right now, but NATO countries must do it," she stressed.

To justify plans to use the countries' budgets for the military help to Kyiv instead of spending them on national needs, new tales about the Russian threat are cooked up, she said.

"Once again, we would like to call on the countries of the collective West, primarily the EU countries. If you speak unilaterally or during NATO events about such things, please, say that this is your point of view and your intention, but in no way impose this ideology on us and do not attribute your unhealthy fantasies to our country," she stressed.

On Jan. 19, speaking to Der Tagesspiegel daily, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Russia has the capability of "attacking a NATO country one day."

Russia, for its part, said for years NATO has been coming closer and closer to its borders, contrary to promises to late Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev not to expand the alliance and without an obvious reason.

Concerning some media reports claiming that the US is trying to persuade Greece to transfer Russian air defense systems and ammunition to Kyiv in exchange for "outdated infantry fighting vehicles, frigates, other weapons and $200 million," Zakharova pointed out that this sum of money is not enough to buy even one US-made air defense system.

The spokeswoman also urged Western countries to pay attention to the extent of corruption in Ukraine, where the Security Service of Ukraine recently unearthed another $40 million embezzlement in the Ministry of Defense in purchase of shells.

"According to Ukrainian media and social networks, no less large-scale theft of foreign humanitarian aid is observed among volunteer organizations," she said.

When countries allocate funding and send weapons to Ukraine, they should consider the possibility that they will end up on black markets and serve to enrich officials, she said.