The next is a transcript of an interview with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov that aired Sunday, February 20, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Russia's Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov. Good morning ambassador, and thanks for approaching this system.
AMBASSADOR ANATOLY ANTONOV: Good morning. Thanks very a lot for inviting me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I will get proper to it. President Biden says that President Putin has determined to invade Ukraine. Is he appropriate?
AMBASSADOR ANTONOV: You will say that it's totally troublesome to appropriate your president. I don't need to be concerned in any discussions in your nation. I simply wish to specific our place. When you do not thoughts, I'll begin from staple items. There isn't any invasion and there's no such plans. It was fastened in Russian paperwork that we conveyed to our American associates within the State Division. Russia has publicly decided- declared its readiness to proceed the diplomatic efforts to resolve all excellent points. By the way in which, I wish to say a number of issues. Every state has a proper to guard its boundary and border. The Russian Federation, the US, in addition to any state, has such a proper. It is no exception. Russian troops are on sovereign Russian territory. We do not threaten anybody. Why do you- why do different nations attempt to impose their selections on us? The place can we deploy our troops and what number of? I wish to emphasize as soon as once more that that is our personal territory. Are you able to even think about that Russia will impose on the US to not deploy your forces in Florida or in San Francisco?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Respectfully, Ambassador, you've gotten troops in Belarus, which isn't technically Russian territory. You will have troops in Moldova. You will have separatists you're funding and supporting within the east of Ukraine. This isn't your territory.
AMB. ANTONOV: Sure. Nicely, we're speaking about Belarussia. I hope that there will probably be a chance for us to debate it. We'll talk about joint drills which are present process. And I wish to say–
MARGARET BRENNAN: They have been supposed to finish as we speak. Are these troops staying in Belarus indefinitely?
AMB. ANTONOV: You will see that as to United States, you've gotten so many navy bases in varied nations. As to us, we've got simply only some. And we won't see any contradiction to any legally binding norms on this problem.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It appears like intimidation. You will have over 190,000 personnel in and round Ukraine, you've got received it surrounded on three borders. Your phrases and your actions do not appear to match, sir.
AMB. ANTONOV: Repeatedly, I wish to say you that we've got our professional proper to have our troops the place we would like on Russian territory, on Russian territory. And I wish to say you that we're not threaten to anyone. We aren't threaten to United States. We aren't threaten to Ukraine. It's totally straightforward to resolve this disaster. When you persuade Kyiv to sit down on the desk of negotiations when Lugansk and Donbas individuals, so there will probably be no combating, there will probably be peace, there no will probably be any casualties. It is really easy. However as to us, as to Russian Federation, we've got a grave concern concerning actions of North Atlantic Treaty Group. And I wish to say you that forces of this bloc have came- have come to a Russian boundary.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sir, Moscow–
AMB. ANTONOV: There's lots–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –helps the pro-Russian separatists within the east of the nation. That is what you are referring to there while you speak about Donetsk. President Zelensky says he desires to satisfy with President Putin. When you're concerned about diplomacy, why would not that assembly occur?
AMB. ANTONOV: You say that you do not need to hearken to what I attempt to clarify you. You do not need to hearken to Russian concern concerning safety points. It isn't trustworthy as a result of even- I will take a one proverb from our American associates that every coin has two sides. Why are you all wanting simply solely on the one aspect? Why you like to disregard the second? Why you're ignoring Russian considerations on safety? Immediately, The issue isn't Ukraine. The issue is what sort of world order will probably be in future? Whether or not we are able to collectively set up a agency safety assure for everyone with out undercutting essential precept of indivisible safety for everyone. It implies that you haven't any proper to strengthen your safety on the expense of Russian Federation. And we additionally don't have any such proper. It is clear–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. Ambassador –
(crosstalk)
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Mr. Ambassador –
AMB. ANTONOV: –in lots of paperwork –
MARGARET BRENNAN: OK, you did not reply the query about –
(crosstalk)
AMB. ANTONOV: –endorsed by the US and Russia–
MARGARET BRENNAN: You did not reply the query about President Putin and President Zelensky assembly. However shifting on. You personally, earlier than you have been a diplomat, you have been a prime navy officer. And actually, you got a medal of honor in your work making an attempt to return the Crimea. You have been underneath sanctions within the EU and Canada in your function in these operations. Is the large aim right here for Russia finally to get the remainder of the world to acknowledge Crimea as a part of Russia? Is that what that is all about?
AMB. ANTONOV: A problem of Crimea is solved, a problem of Crimea is closed for us. It is a Russian territory and we do not need even to debate this problem in any respect. It was not easy methods to say a navy operation by Russian forces. It was a call by individuals who dwell in Crimea. That is clear. That is why I can not perceive why and we're speaking now about Crimea. We have now to take care of the state of affairs in Europe it is extremely necessary. For the US? It is simpler to cease such disaster. It's a must to persuade Kyiv to fulfil Minsk settlement. That is all.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so for you—
AMB. ANTONOV: That is all.
MARGARET BRENNAN: If you- for our listeners, while you have been speaking in regards to the Minsk settlement, you have been speaking about agreements in regard to the east of Ukraine the place there was combating for the previous eight years. Is Russia finally making an attempt to get the remainder of the world to offer that portion of Ukraine over to the Russian Federation? Is that what you are making an attempt to do right here?
AMB. ANTONOV: We aren't making an attempt to take any territory of overseas nations. I wish to affirm that Donbas and Lugansk is part of Ukraine. What we want- we do not need to see irritants alongside the sides of Russian territory. We have an interest to have a secure, good relations with Ukraine. And what we want- we wish to give a chance for peoples who're dwelling in Lugansk and Donbas to talk their native language, to make use of all rights of any society that we are able to take pleasure in. That is all what we would like.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Why do not you employ the authorized mechanisms to do this then as an alternative of funding separatists?
AMB. ANTONOV: It's glorious authorized mechanism that was mentioned by our two presidents in Geneva. And Mr. Biden has confirmed that Minsk agreements are legitimate and it's a necessity now to implement Minsk settlement. I wish to refresh your reminiscence saying that Russia isn't a celebration of Minsk settlement. Events of those conflicts are Kiev, Luhansk and Donbas–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. And Russian separatists that–
AMB. ANTONOV: – in Minsk settlement, that- that is vital for them to begin actual work. And when you take a look at all provisions in Minsk settlement, you will note what all people has to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-Hmm. Do you assume your coverage proper now could be efficient, on condition that the response to Russia's navy buildup has been for NATO and the US to only pour extra money and extra weapons into the world? Is not that the precise reverse of what you say you are making an attempt to do?
AMB. ANTONOV: You will see that we're very a lot involved what United States and different main nations are doing. They're pumping off Ukraine with quite a lot of weapons. There are, by the way in which, agreements, politically binding agreements between the US and Russia, which we received within the type of OEC, in addition to so-called Wassenaar Association.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Perceive–
AMB. ANTONOV: We should not–
MARGARET BRENNAN: However respectfully ambassador, your nation has the biggest navy buildup–
AMB. ANTONOV: You do not need to hearken to me. You do not need even to offer me alternative to clarify–
MARGARET BRENNAN: No I do.
AMB. ANTONOV:–clarify the Russian place.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I simply need you to reply the query I am asking. You will have the biggest navy buildup in Europe for the reason that finish of World Battle II. How do you anticipate NATO to react?
AMB. ANTONOV: You will see that we did quite a lot of to withdraw our troops from varied areas which are very near Baltic states- to Jap European states. We withdraw quite a lot of troops from Kaliningrad space. And no person even stated us "thanks." On the identical time, we see 5 methods of growth of NATO. NATO has began exploration, tech- navy technical exploration of Ukraine now. It isn't potential for us to swallow. You will see that there is no such thing as a area for us to retreat. There may be simply solely Russian Federation.
MARGRET BRENNAN: Nicely, you realize that President Biden–
AMB. ANTONOV: We see–
MARGARET BRENNAN: stated Ukraine will not be a part of NATO within the close to future, and the German Chancellor stated it is absurd for there to be a conflict as a result of Ukraine's membership in NATO is not going to be allowed any time quickly. So why aren't statements like that adequate?
AMB. ANTONOV: You say that- Ms. BRENNAN, quite a lot of phrases about it, and we wish to put all the things on the paper. We wish to see legally binding ensures for Russian safety. So we ship our package deal of proposals. What ought to we do? We do not need to see subsequent wave of growth of NATO. We want you to not use my jap and central European nations, in addition to Baltic states, to deploy their new weapons. We do not need INF missiles deployed in Europe.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay.
AMB. ANTONOV: And we've got proposed you to take care of this problem, to sit down collectively, and to discover a resolution. Once more, as we speak we're not speaking about Ukraine. We're wanting in direction of the order that we are going to set up collectively in Europe and on the earth as nicely. Why do not you need to hearken to our considerations on this respect?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, President Biden says his Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet along with your prime diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, this week, however provided that there is no such thing as a navy motion or invasion. Are you able to assure there will probably be no navy motion or invasion?
AMB. ANTONOV: I simply began my dialogue with you from phrases that we ship in written type to the State Division. And I wish to affirm once more that there is no such thing as a invasion now. As you realize, there was quite a lot of pretend information within the mass media and in lots of American channels that as we speak we'll begin invasion, and I wish to affirm that there's no plan to begin conflict. We do not desire a conflict. Do not forget that in the course of the Second World Battle, we misplaced 27 million.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
ANTONOV: Do we all know how many- what number of Individuals died in the course of the Second World Battle? Half 1,000,000. We have been brothers in arms. We fought collectively. So why should not we attempt to discover resolution collectively?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Precisely, precisely. And that's the reason the query of getting the biggest navy buildup by your navy for the reason that World Battle, the Second World Battle has raised some eyebrows. You will have the biggest nuclear forces on the earth. You will have hypersonic missiles. Why are you so threatened by a defensive alliance in a rustic like Ukraine?
ANTONOV: We have now concern not about Ukraine. We have now concern concerning actions of NATO. We see how NATO is–
MARGARET BRENNAN: It is a defensive alliance.
ANTONOV: No, come on. It isn't a defensive alliance. You see that North Atlantic Treaty Group isn't peace-loving NGO. It is political navy equipment, a bloc. And I bear in mind my conferences in Brussels. Many occasions your ambassadors tried to influence me that Russia isn't an enemy of United States or NATO. And the primary menace is coming from the southern a part of Europe. I stated, "Come on. I perceive your concern concerning Iran or different nations, however why your equipment is coming to my boundary. It isn't honest." You will see that- and we wish to cease such growth. We want United States to withdraw their troops and their weaponry from these states, as a result of it is our lives, it is our ensures of safety for our individuals. We do not need to see navy equipment deployed alongside the boundary with the Russian Federation. Let's talk about it. Let's clear up it. You say that you simply talked about that Russia is the most important nuclear energy. I wish to say the identical – that United States and Russia are key gamers on the earth. We're everlasting members of Safety Council. We bear a particular accountability for peace. We have now quite a lot of issues to debate - pandemia, terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and different issues. We will work collectively. We provide you-
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. Ambassador-
ANTONOV: We ship you a package deal of proposals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we are going to watch that diplomacy within the coming days. Mr. Ambassador, thanks in your time. Thanks for coming and answering questions this morning. We'll be proper again.