Russian MFA: 'Business as Usual' in Relations With US Will No Longer Work

“No, we stopped doing business as usual with them a long time ago, this is already a non-existent concept,” Zakharova said on the air of Channel One.

The West has failed to impose on Moscow the idea that they are exclusive and that Russia is a colony, she said.

In relations with the United States and the West, Russia has approached the line, after which there is a point of no return, Zakharova said.

"We proceed from our own interests and security interests, including, we do what is beneficial to us as a country, as a people. We defend ourselves, we offered to do it together, we had a dialogue and offered a lot within the framework of collective security. When this did not happen, we moved on to the next stage — what are our guarantees, given that you do not offer collective creativity, when they blocked this option as well, we began to proceed from our pressing interests," she said.

“Yes, this is not our choice. We always proceeded from a dialogue, but when these options were closed one by one by the Anglo-Saxons, we began to act differently. Not because of threats, but the question is that we come to that line after which the point of no return begins," she added.

Biden Does Not Want to Talk to Putin Now, But Diplomacy Not Ruled Out - White House

According to White House spokesperson Jen Psaki, "a moment where a leader is beginning and in the middle of invading a sovereign country is not the moment where diplomacy feels appropriate. It does not mean we have ruled out diplomacy forever. Obviously, the President remains open to engaging on a leader to leader level but this is not the moment."

Russia

West Turned Blind Eye to War Crimes by the Kiev Regime, 'Genocide' in Ukraine, Lavrov Says

25 February 2022, 09:17 GMT

In the early hours on Thursday, Russia launched a special operation after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk requested assistance to defend themselves from ongoing attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation is targeting the military infrastructure of Ukraine and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine and the servicemen will live the country after the special operation.

In a recent address to the nation, Russian President Putin said that the United States and its allies say they are pursuing a policy of deterring Russia by pumping up Ukraine with weapons, but for Russia, this is a real threat to the existence of the state. He noted that in response to the ideas on security guarantees and non-expansion of NATO to the east, the West again said that any state can join the alliance.