Lavrov says that negotiations with Ukraine will continue, but without ceasefire
Kateryna Tyshchenko – Monday, 11 April 2022, 16:52
Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, has said that he sees no reason to not continue negotiations with Ukraine, despite Ukraine allegedly often changing its position.
Source: Sergey Lavrov in an interview to Rossiya 24 [Russia 24] TV channel, as cited in RIA Novosti [RIA News] and TASS
According to Lavrov: "I don’t see any reasons why we can’t continue [the negotiations], even though the Ukrainian side sometimes changes their position dramatically – for example rejecting their own proposals from just a few days before. But we are patient and persistent."
Details: Despite claims of Russia’s willingness to continue negotiations with Ukraine, Lavrov stated that Russia does not intend to cooperate with a ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations.
Lavrov insisted that "President [Putin] has stressed again and again that we favour negotiations. During the first round, during the very first round of negotiations, when the Ukrainian side proposed – and we agreed to – the meeting of delegations, President [Putin] gave an order to implement a ceasefire and to pause the special operation – but when we became certain that Ukraine was not going to reciprocate, we decided that there would be no ceasefire during the future rounds of negotiations. Until we reach a final agreement and until it is signed."
Lavrov also announced that evidence of mass graves and the use of chemical weapons which might appear in the near future will be "provocations" orchestrated by Ukraine. Russia also alleges that the atrocities of Russian soldiers in Bucha and Kramatorsk are provocations.
"There will be provocations and we will have to respond to those provocations, in the first instance, with facts. And, second, I think that our main argument is what is happening on the ground," Lavrov said.
He also stated that Russian will not be subjugated by Western countries.
Moreover, Lavrov promised that Moscow will take all necessary legal action to protect Russian citizens abroad from "russophobia."
