US Prolonging Ukraine Conflict for Profit: Russian Envoy

The United States is prolonging the conflict in Ukraine in order to profit from sales of military equipment and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said.

“The White House cannot escape responsibility for prolonging the conflict and killing innocent people. However, the United States continues with its maniacal persistence to adhere to the tactics of war of attrition by exhausting everyone – Ukrainians, Russians, Europeans as well as ordinary Americans,” Antonov told Sputnik.

“There are several reasons for this, one of them being the presence of economic interest. The desire to ‘skim the cream’ through the mass sale of military equipment and LNG supplies: Only business, nothing personal.”

The ambassador said the United States is waging war with Russia “until the last Ukrainian.” He also pointed out that US officials often say they will not talk to Russia about Ukraine without the participation of Ukraine and that it is up to Kyiv to decide at what point to sit down at the negotiating table.