Lavrov announced a conspiracy around the topic of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine

A real conspiracy is emerging around the topic of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a round table dedicated to resolving the Ukrainian crisis. The broadcast was on the Foreign Ministry’s VKontakte page.

“A real conspiracy and attempts through pseudo-diplomacy are emerging around the topic of so-called negotiations to turn everything upside down,” Lavrov said.

The minister recalled that the West had previously called the “Zelensky formula” the only basis for negotiations and emphasized that “they will not discuss anything about Ukraine without Ukraine.” However, in early September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Lavrov continued, statedthat Kyiv will take part in the negotiations if Moscow shows such an initiative. The United States, according to the American politician, will follow Ukraine in this matter.

“Blinken essentially told the Ukrainians what they want from her,” Lavrov said. According to him, the statement by the US Secretary of State does not correspond to what the West said earlier regarding Russian-Ukrainian negotiations.

Since the beginning of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, the parties held negotiations several times in February and March 2022. The first three face-to-face meetings took place in Belarus in February–March, and the fourth round of the Russian-Ukrainian dialogue took place on March 29, 2022 in Istanbul. After this, the process was frozen because Kyiv withdrew from it.

On October 4, 2022, Zelensky signed a decree refusing to negotiate with Russia as long as Putin is its president. Russian authorities have repeatedly pointed out the impossibility of negotiations with Kiev because of this document. During a round table on September 15, Lavrov said that the “ball” in this issue is on the side of the Kyiv regime.

At the same time, the Kremlin regularly declares its readiness for negotiations. At the end of 2022, Peskov emphasized that Russia will not follow other people’s conditions, as it is guided only by its own goals and common sense. Moscow previously called the “peace formula” presented by Zelensky unrealistic.