Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, accused the West on Monday of attempting to “blackmail” his country into capitulation over Syria. Lavrov told reporters that nations in the West have said that if Russia does not agree to a new round of sanctions, they will no longer back the United Nation’s current observation mission.
“To our great regret, we are seeing elements of blackmail,” Lavrov said. “We consider it an absolutely counterproductive and dangerous approach, since it is unacceptable to use observers as a bargaining chip.” Lavrov added that expectations that Russia would ask Bashar al-Assad to step down are “unrealistic.”
Via RFE/RL.
