Russia: US did not violate red lines during Syria strikes

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Russia: US did not violate red lines during Syria strikes

2018-04-21 13:28 Last Updated At：13:28

Russia's foreign minister said Friday that the U.S. sought out and respected Moscow's positions in Syria when it launched its air strikes last week.

Lavrov noted that despite the escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington, the U.S. made sure it didn't harm any Russian personnel and positions during the strikes against the regime of President Bashar Assad following a suspected chemical attack on the town of Douma.

"We told them where our red lines were, including the geographical red lines," Lavrov told Russian state television. "The results have shown that they haven't crossed those lines."

Moscow had warned the U.S. before the strike that it could hit back if the U.S. actions jeopardize Russian servicemen in Syria, and the allies had given Russia an advance warning to make sure no Russians were in the line of fire.

Lavrov also revealed that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of visiting each other's country when the U.S. president rang up Russian counterpart last month to congratulate him on his re-election.

Lavrov that Trump indicated he could make a reciprocal trip to Russia if Putin were able to accept his invitation to the White House.

Previously, both the White House and the Kremlin had only revealed that Trump had invited Putin to the White House during the same call on March 20.

Lavrov says the Trump administration hasn't followed up on the offer and Russia has urged the U.S. to discuss specifics about such a meeting.

He added that Russian officials "don't want to be too obtrusive, but don't want to be impolite."

"President Putin is ready for such a meeting," Lavrov said.

Moscow's hopes for better ties with Washington under Trump have withered amid the ongoing investigations into the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Russia-U.S. relations have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

In recent weeks, tensions have risen further over the March poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter, which Britain has blamed on Russia. The U.S., Britain and other Western allies responded by expelling over 150 Russian diplomats, and Moscow, which has fervently denied the British accusations, responded in kind.

Further stoking tensions was the purported chemical attack in Douma on April 7. That prompted the U.S., Britain and France to launch a missile strike on Syria. Russia condemned the strike on its ally as an "act of aggression."

The Pentagon said that all 105 missiles fired at three Syrian chemical facilities reached their targets, while the Russian military said Syrian air defenses downed 71 out of 103 U.S. missiles.

Lavrov, who said Russia will soon offer evidence to back up its claims, added that Moscow may reconsider a pledge it gave a decade ago not to provide Syria with sophisticated long-range S-300 missiles in light of the strikes.

"We no longer have such moral obligations," Lavrov said.

Asked about the danger of a Russia-U.S. military clash, Lavrov voiced hope that military leaders realize that "any actions that could provoke a direct clash between the Russian and the U.S. militaries are unacceptable."

"I'm 100 percent convinced that the military won't allow it," Lavrov said, adding that the Russian and U.S. presidents also "bear responsibility before the people which elected them for peace and security."

Defending champs Alcaraz and Sabalenka win opening matches at Madrid Open

2024-04-27 01:37 Last Updated At：01:41

MADRID (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz didn’t need to put his tender right arm to the test to ease to a victory in his opening match at the Madrid Open on Friday.

The two-time defending champion was playing for the first time in nearly a month after his injured arm ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona. And after doubting this week he would be good to go in Spain’s capital, Alcaraz admitted he could afford to hold up just a bit in a 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexander Shevchenko.

“I didn’t hit my forehand 100%. I hit it softer than I used to hit it, but I think it helped me, you know, to, let’s say, stay relaxed,” Alcaraz said. “But the first thing that I was thinking about when I was stepping on the court is to stay healthy.

“I was really happy to not feel anything in the forearm, and after that I could increase my intensity a bit. It was great for me this match."

Defending women's champion Aryna Sabalenka faced tougher resistance in her opening match while beating Magda Linette 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on the Caja Magica clay.

This was Alcaraz’s first match since the Miami Open quarterfinals nearly one month ago. Madrid is the Spaniard's first appearance on the European clay court swing — he struggled in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in February — as he aims to win his first French Open title next month.

“Right now I’m thinking to be better or get better every day, and I’m thinking to be closer to my 100% here in Madrid." the two-time major champion said. "Let’s see how it’s going to be the next few weeks. But the main thing is to be ready for next tournament and obviously to Roland Garros.”

In Madrid, the third-ranked Alcaraz is seeded second behind Jannik Sinner and both enjoyed first-round byes.

Alcaraz played with a compression sleeve on his right arm from his wrist up past his elbow. But he looked pretty much like the same aggressive player who has dominated here for the past two years and given Spanish tennis fans hope there is life after Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz broke Shevchenko’s serve four times and will next face Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil.

Seyboth Wild upset Daniil Medvedev at last year's French Open and should offer a stiffer challenge to Alcaraz in the round of 32.

Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Facundo Bagnis 6-1, 6-4. Rublev’s last win came at Indian Wells in March.

Tommy Paul got past qualifier Lukas Klein 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 in his first clay match of the season after missing Monte Carlo due to injury.

Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz beat Jack Draper 6-1, 7-5, while Denis Shapovalov, Francisco Cerdundolo, Alejandro Davidovich, Daniel Altmaier, and Sebastian Baez also moved on.

SABALENKA'S SLOW START

The second-ranked Sabalenka struggled with her serve at times against Linette, but the two-time Australian Open winner struck her 10th ace on match point.

Sabalenka got some help from the net to get a key break and go up 5-3 in the third set when Linette was unable to reach a shot by the Belarusian that clipped the top of the tape.

Sabalenka has either won it all in Madrid as she did in 2021 and last year, or gone out in the first round as she did in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a good sign and I will keep it like that,” she said. “I either lose in the first or I win (the title).”

Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3 to take her season-leading win haul to 27 as she seeks her fourth title of 2024.

Rybakina will next face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif after she upset Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5 to reach the third round.

Fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen, who lost the Australian Open final to Sabalenka, withdrew with a right thigh injury while trailing Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 2-0.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who made her breakout at Madrid last year, bettered Linda Noskova 4-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Carolina Garcia, and Jasmine Paolini also advanced.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis