Lavrov: Russia is ready to talk about peace in Ukraine on equal footing, without ultimatums
MINSK, 25 June (BelTA) — Russia is ready to talk about peace in Ukraine, on an equal footing and without ultimatums, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with students and faculty of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Belarus in Minsk on 25 June, BelTA has learned.
«We are ready to talk, but on an equal basis, without ultimatums,» Sergey Lavrov said.
When asked about the «peace summit» in Switzerland, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the event was about taking a beautiful «family photo» and it was a success in this regard. Sergey Lavrov stressed that the negotiations should start from scratch, without pre-conditions suggested from left and right, or taking into account the real state of affairs on the ground, as proposed by the Russian side.
«Many times the West has forced its Ukrainian protégés to abandon peace talks, thereby confirming that its goal is not peace, but turning Ukraine into a source of constant threat for the Russian Federation,» the minister added.
According to him, the West has acted in a similar way well before the current crisis, in previous years too, including in 2014.
