New Delhi: Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday took a dig at the US during the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting hosted by India. Sergei Shoigu said that in a bid to maintain global dominance, the US and its allies have severely eroded the global security architecture. At their initiative, the process of breaking and dismantling key arms control and confidence-building agreements was set in motion, he added. During the meeting, India and Russia's Defence Ministers have traditionally focused on international and regional security issues, coordinating further steps to strengthen military cooperation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The SCO Defence Ministers' meeting took place on Friday, against the backdrop of a highly volatile international environment amid the Russia-Ukraine war. The Russian Defence Minister noted that fundamental, dynamic and irreversible changes are taking place as the new multipolar world takes shape. This is actively opposed by the collective West.
Blaming the West, the Russian Defence Minister pointed out that at first, Washington unilaterally terminated the US-Soviet Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, refused to ratify the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, then withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and Shorter-Range Missiles and the Treaty on Open Skies, adding, today, this destructive behaviour is manifested in a desire to reshape the system of inter-state relations through the creation of subordinate regional alliances.
"As a result, the security arrangements and cooperation formats that have been developed over the decades are put to the test, frozen inter-state tensions are exacerbated, and the risk of local crises escalating into large-scale conflicts is growing", he added. The Russian Defence Minister urged for the need to strengthen the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as one of the pillars of the new multipolar international system, a model of inter-state relations based on equality and mutual respect, and observance of international law.
The Russian Defence Minister also extended an invitation to India to attend the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security. The event provided a meaningful forum for discussing the most pressing military-political problems, which are becoming particularly relevant in the current context. Asserting that Washington and its enablers are pursuing their strategic agenda of provoking other countries into a military confrontation with undesirable states, most notably Russia and China, the Russian Defence Minister told his Indian counterpart that the conflict in Ukraine is a clear demonstration of this criminal policy. He said that its real aim is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, threaten China, and maintain its monopoly position in the world.
"Given Kyiv's refusal to implement the Minsk agreements and the real threat to the residents of Donbas, we decided to launch the special military operation. In doing so, the West has demonstrated its preparation for a confrontation with the Russian Federation. Large-scale sanctions were immediately imposed on Russia, arms were supplied to Ukraine, intelligence was transmitted, and military advisers and mercenaries were sent to the combat zone", Sergei Shoigu said.
In this way, the military capabilities and capacities of almost all the NATO countries were involved, he added. As far as the geopolitical situation is concerned, India is in a very critical position given the Russia-Ukraine war. India has not been able to openly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, despite the pressure from the West, for which the ties between India and the US are currently seen in trouble.
