Spain to Russia: The pandemic is not the time for additional conflicts

Riga, Latvia, Apr 8 (efe/epa).- Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Arancha González Laya said Thursday during her official visit to Latvia that she was concerned about unusual movements of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, but would not speculate on what the intentions of the Russian activities were.

“This is not the time not to engage in additional conflicts as we are all working to exit the harshest crisis the world has seen in a long time,” Gonzalez-Laya said, referring to the ongoing pandemic. She added that Spain and the European Union “want a friendly relation with our neighbors, whether Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus hope to have friendly relations with Russia.”

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics took a harsher tone, noting that, in addition to combat equipment, Russia was also assembling fuel supplies and medical facilities near the forces it has close to the border with Ukraine.

“This is a Russia-created hot spot. It could develop into a wider, unpredictable conflict. We notice hysteria in the Russian media just like before the annexation of Crimea and during the Maiden demonstrations and ahead of other Russian actions,” Rinkevics said. EFE-EPA

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