News - Middle East - Lebanon : Lebanese President Michel Aoun says his country opposes any military operation against any free state, urging negotiations to end the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which has entered its ninth day.

In a meeting with an EU delegation in Beirut on Friday, Aoun stressed the importance of dialogue instead of war and violence, Lebanon's Naharnet news website reported.

"We stand against any military operation that violates the sovereignty and independence of any free country," he said, adding that Lebanon has suffered from wars, especially the Israeli invasion of Beirut in 1982.

Tensions have heightened between the West and Russia after on February 24 President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine’s Donbas region to “defend people” subjected to "genocide" there against government forces, stressing that Moscow has “no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory.”

Ever since, the West has kept pouring lethal weapons into Ukraine. About 20 countries — most members of NATO and the European Union — are funneling arms into Ukraine to fight off Russia. Russia has denounced the move as a dangerous intervention, which risks further conflict in the region.

Source: Press TV