Choosing Arms Supplies Over Diplomacy on Ukraine 'Not Working', Russian Envoy Says

The choice made by the collective West in favor of supplying arms and munitions to Ukraine without attempting to diplomatically resolve the conflict there will not bear fruit, Russian Ambassador to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov has told Sputnik.

In 2022, Russia and Ukraine held a few rounds of talks in the early stages of the conflict, but negotiations eventually stalled due to Western intervention.

"In general, it is becoming increasingly clear that the current [Western] policy, based, on the one hand, on the oblivion of diplomacy, and on the other hand on massive arms supplies, is not working. At least some countries will inevitably make appropriate conclusions," Ulyanov said in an interview when asked if any other countries were ready to join Hungary and Slovakia in not sending weapons to Ukraine.

According to the diplomat, Moscow and Kiev were very close to reaching a peace deal in 2022, but the United States and the United Kingdom derailed it.

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"In March and April 2022, [Russia] and Ukraine almost reached, a peace deal to cease military actions. However, the United Kingdom and the United States were against it, and the European Union, as always, joined them then," Ulyanov said.

Ulyanov also said that Finland will not benefit from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accession and risks becoming the first to suffer in the event of any military escalation between the alliance and neighboring Russia.

"I just don't understand how Finland benefits from this [accession to NATO]. They lived calmly, and peacefully, and unexpectedly found themselves between Russia and NATO ... But they are our neighbors, and God forbid if there is any aggravation, then Finland itself will suffer first. I really wouldn’t want this to be the case, of course," Ulyanov said in an interview.

Ulyanov also pointed out that a defense cooperation agreement signed by Helsinki and Washington last week is a "serious challenge" for Moscow. The deal provides US soldiers with access to 15 Finnish military areas and facilities.