Russia’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Rodakov, said on Sunday that the Lebanese Foreign Ministry’s statement condemning Russia’s military operation in Ukraine “does not take into account the friendly relations between the two countries.”
This comes in response to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry denouncing on Thursday the “invasion of Ukrainian territory” and calling on Russia to stop military operations immediately and “to return to the logic of dialogue and negotiation.”
The Russian Ambassador noted that the Lebanese comment against Russia will not create a rift between both countries yet he implied in clear words possible consequences.
“You know that what happened changed the situation completely, and changed some of the agreements and treaties that were signed in advance,” he said in a press conference. “We must now see the additional possibilities for solving some problems, particularly with regard to the export of wheat and other foodstuffs to Lebanon.”
In a statement of justification for his country’s ongoing military invasion of Ukraine, Rodakov stated that Russia does “not pursue a hostile policy towards Ukraine, but is exercising its right to protect its national security.”
He added that “Russia is a great country that always seeks peace and security all over the world.”
Note: For the Lebanese trying to flee Ukraine, there are many entities in Ukraine and bordering countries, including Lebanese people in those countries, offering assistance. For details, visit here.