As the escalation debate heats up again, reposting a piece from two years ago: The West shouldn’t back down in the face of Putin’s threats www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/13/west-help-ukraine-win-next-phase-russia/

🎙 Acting FM Sergey Lavrov: Our readiness to hold talks is reaffirmed personally by Vladimir Putin each time. Our cause is just. If they want it [to be decided] on the battlefield, so be it. 👉 t.me/MFARussia/20191 pic.twitter.com/ONaB62Lf8p

💬 Maria #Zakharova: We admire the courage and fortitude of the people of Russia's Donetsk and Lugansk republics, whose spirit could not be broken by the Ukrainian Nazis entrenched in Kiev. 🇷🇺 Today, the DPR & the LPR are inalienable parts of Russia. 👉 t.me/MFARussia/20186 pic.twitter.com/WMvQ7T2Ikz

Europe faces long-term confrontation with Russia Czech President Petr Pavel stated that Europe is entering a prolonged confrontation with Russia, which may not be military. He described Moscow as a "destructive force" in Europe, accusing it of spreading propaganda and outright… pic.twitter.com/3AYaEnxNPT