At China military forum, Russian defense minister accuses the US of fueling geopolitical tensions

By SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu says the United States is fueling geopolitical tensions to uphold its “hegemony,” and he warns of the risk of confrontation between major countries. He made the comment Monday in Beijing at the Xiangshan Forum, which is China’s biggest annual event centered on military diplomacy. According to a simultaneous translation provided at the session, Shoigu said that “to maintain its geopolitical and strategic dominance, the United States is deliberately undermining the basis of international security and strategic stability.” Turning to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Shoigu says Moscow is open to negotiations “if conditions are right.”