Russia warns will respond to ‘aggression’

MOSCOW: Russia does not want confrontation with the West but will hit back if attacked, Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday, a day before EU leaders meet to draft a response to Moscow’s actions in Georgia.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would press fellow European Union leaders to review ties with Russia in retaliation for Moscow’s decision to send troops to Georgia and recognise two Georgian breakaway regions.

But underlining the differences in approach inside the 27-member EU, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier took a softer line, saying isolating Russia would harm the interests of the bloc.

A senior U.S. diplomat said Washington hoped the EU would express concrete support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, and urged Europe to reduce its dependence on Russian energy.

Medvedev faces growing condemnation from the West, which accuses Russia of occupying parts of Georgia, while the Kremlin said it acted to prevent what it called genocide against the separatist regions.

“Russia does not want confrontation with any country. Russia does not plan to isolate itself,” Medvedev said in an interview with Russia’s three main television stations.

But he added: “Everyone should understand that if someone launches an aggressive sortie, he will receive a response.” He said Russian law allowed the Kremlin to impose sanctions on other states, though it preferred not to go down that path.

Georgia urged the European Union to impose sanctions against those doing business with the two separatist regions, authorise a civilian mission to monitor buffer zones around them and give Tbilisi about $2 billion to help to help repair damage.

Monday, Reuters