Lavrov said that Russia was satisfied with Ukraine's negotiating position
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — THURSDAY, 16 JUNE 2022, 19:47
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that Russia was satisfied with Ukraine's negotiating position in late March "as a basis for work."
Source: Lavrov in an interview with TASS
Details: The Russian minister said that in late March, Ukraine laid out a negotiating position on paper that was suitable for Russia as a basis for work.
However, since mid-April, negotiations with Ukraine have been completely stalled; Kyiv is not responding to [Russian] proposals, Lavrov complained.
According to Lavrov, Russia will be ready to conclude agreements with Ukraine if Kyiv "shows an understanding that they’re needed."
In addition, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Russia is still firmly convinced that nuclear war should not be started.
He also said that the fate of the territories of Ukraine controlled by Kyiv was "difficult to predict."
Background:
- On 29 March, during the next round of talks with Russia in Istanbul, Ukraine came forward with a proposal. It was said that instead of NATO, several countries will become the guarantors of Ukraine's security and in case of aggression will provide assistance to Ukraine, with armed forces, weapons, no-fly zones. Such security guarantees will not work in the occupied territories of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts.
- The Ukrainian delegation also suggested that the status of Crimea and Sevastopol will be decided over the next 15 years in bilateral negotiations, and the issue of Donbas [will be decided] in direct talks between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said that Ukraine was ready to sign an international agreement on security guarantees only after a referendum on this issue. He also said that this should be preceded by the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
- On 17 May, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, confirmed that talks with Russia were on pause for a number of reasons, the key of which was that Russia did not show understanding of current processes in the world.
- On 14 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would be ready to negotiate with the Russian invaders only when the occupiers were ready to end the war.
