Western Nations' Approach To Russia Depends On Russia's Policy Choices - UK Envoy To UN

The Western nations' approach to Russia will depend on Russia's policy choices, UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said in an interview with RIA Novosti

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st March, 2021) The Western nations' approach to Russia will depend on Russia's policy choices, UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"There are a lot of areas where we can work with Russia, we want to work with Russia. And the US is very open. The renewal of the New START agreement I think is one of the most obvious positive examples. But I think we also have to be clear that our response, and I suspect the same would be true for the US, to Russia will depend on the policy choices that Russia makes," Woodward said, when asked if Russia should prepare for "bigger controversy" with the US and Europe in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) under the new US administration.

According to the diplomat, Russia and the United Kingdom can cooperate in the UNSC on Yemen, "where 16.2 million people are facing famine," and Libya, "where there are obviously questions around supporting the new interim government and withdrawing foreign forces.

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"And there are areas where our approaches differ: Syria, Ukraine, Belarus. And we have to be mindful of those areas," Woodward noted.

"When we look at the illegal annexation of Crimea, when we think about the lack of respect to territorial integrity of Ukraine, I am afraid that Russia cannot expect anything but international condemnation," the diplomat added.

Russia has repeatedly stressed it is not engaged in the conflict in Ukraine. The head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Halit Cevik, has confirmed at a recent UNSC session that monitors have not seen any Russian military presence in Ukraine's east.

Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014, after nearly 97 percent of voters supported the move in a referendum. However, Ukraine still considers Crimea an occupied territory. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Crimea's residents decided to rejoin Russia through a democratic procedure, adding that the referendum was conducted in compliance with international law.