US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday that the US has conveyed to Pakistan its stance on Russia’s “re-invasion of Ukraine” and that it is each country’s responsibility to “voice out” against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans.
He was responding to a question during a briefing on how the US views Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Russia amid tensions between Moscow and Ukraine and which have escalated since then. gun war.
“We conveyed to Pakistan our position on the Russian reoccupation of Ukraine and briefed them on our efforts to maintain diplomacy through the war,” Price said. transcript It is available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Prime Minister Imran reached He is in Russia late Wednesday for a two-day visit to push for the construction of a long-delayed, multibillion-dollar gas pipeline to be built in cooperation with Russian companies.
The prime minister’s visit to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss issues including economic cooperation comes hours after a number of Western countries have struck Russia with new blows. sanctions For military deployment to parts of eastern Ukraine.
During a briefing on Wednesday, a reporter asked Price what the State Department’s assessment of the timing of Prime Minister Imran’s visit was.
The spokesperson said the United States was “absolutely aware” of the trip, adding: “We believe it is the responsibility of every responsible country in the world to raise concerns and raise objections about what Putin has in mind for Ukraine.” said.
Price said the United States views its long-standing partnership and cooperation with Pakistan as critical to America’s interests.
“When it comes to common interests – avoiding a costly conflict, avoiding a destabilizing conflict, we hope every country in the world will make this point clear in their relations with the Russian Federation.” added.
When asked if the US believes Prime Minister Imran’s visit was Putin’s “indirect support”, Price said the reporter should ask the Pakistani government what his intentions were.
“I am not in a position to provide an assessment of the timing of their foreign colleagues’ travel to another country,” he said.
To read: Analysts comment on Prime Minister Imran’s trip to Russia amid Ukrainian tensions
Prime Minister Imran in an interview before his trip, expressed concern On the situation in Ukraine and the possibility of new sanctions and their impact on Islamabad’s developing cooperation with Moscow.
Russian President Putin on Thursday announced A military operation in Ukraine enraged US President Joe Biden, who warned of “catastrophic loss of life”, with explosions heard soon after in the capital and other parts of the country.
“I have decided on a military operation,” he said in a surprise televised statement shortly before 06:00 in the morning.
Putin has warned other countries that attempts to interfere in Russian action will have consequences they have never seen before.