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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, holding talks in Antalya, Turkey. © Sputnik / Russian Foreign Ministry

Russia is eager for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, but it won’t accept any Western mediation during its talks with Kiev, the Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

“We’re ready to give diplomacy a chance. That’s why we agreed to the talks, which are resuming in Istanbul,” Lavrov said during a video conference on Monday with the Serbian media. The discussions are scheduled to continue on Tuesday.

The Turkish government, which has good ties with both Russia and Ukraine, has put a great deal of effort into getting the two sides around the negotiating table, Lavrov explained. However, there's no need to include the EU or the US – which support Kiev in the conflict – in the peace process, according to the minister.

“There are many examples of times when the achievements of diplomacy were shattered by Western colleagues. They can’t be trusted anymore,” Lavrov opined.

“I wouldn’t want to see any shuttle diplomacy from our Western partners, because they’ve already done their ‘shuttling’ – in February 2014 in Ukraine and in February 2015 in Minsk,” he added.

In February 2014, the EU became the guarantor of the agreements between Ukraine’s then-president Viktor Yanukovych and the Maidan protesters in Kiev, Lavrov reminded viewers. “It was a pinnacle of diplomacy. But, the next morning, the opposition spat on that diplomacy, and the EU had to swallow it.”

Yanukovich ended up being deposed after violent clashes and fleeing the country, and the new Ukrainian authorities soon sent their military to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, where most of the population had refused to recognize the coup in the capital.

In September of the same year, the Minsk I agreement between the breakaway republics and Kiev was reached in the Belarusian capital, having been negotiated by Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France in the so-called Normandy Format. The deal called on the two sides to stop fighting, organize prisoner exchanges, allow deliveries of humanitarian aid, and withdraw heavy weaponry.

“The diplomacy then reached new heights in February 2015, when the agreements that were signed in Minsk ended the war in eastern Ukraine and opened the way to restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity by granting a special status to the Donbass,” the minister continued.


The second agreement, Minsk II, introduced another ceasefire and paved the way for administrative and political reform in Ukraine as well as for autonomy and local elections in the Donbass republics. However, Kiev’s Western backers were subsequently unable to persuade the Ukrainian government to fulfil its promises.

“The European Union has proven its incompetence as an organization that is capable of fulfilling the agreements being reached,” Lavrov said.

Russia sent its troops into Ukraine over a month ago, following a seven-year standoff over Kiev’s failure to implement the terms agreed in Minsk, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Moscow has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it had been planning to retake the two republics by force.

https://www.rt.com/russia/552849-russia-says-west-not-welcome/

Ok

The west have shown how weak and bias they are. so, let them stay away. Only neutral countries like China, India or any country from the Middle East, Africa or South America can act as a mediator since they are neutral countries.

China has a huge influence but ji xipin has already told Joe Biden that "he that puts the bell on lion, has to be the one to take it off"

With that, China is indirectly blaming the west and the USA for the conflict in Ukraine.

The US says the whole world is against China, but we all know what they mean with that statement is false.

Any how they want it, as far as Ukraine remains a sovereign state

The aim has been achieved.....


Ukraine has Crippled their military

U.k and u.s has used sanctions to cripple their economy

Nice plan

Ukraine go repair their country asap...

Rastaramsey:
The aim has been achieved.....


Ukraine has Crippled their military

U.k and u.s has used sanctions to cripple their economy

Nice plan

Ukraine go repair their country asap...

Good point.
Turkey is even a NATO member and an ally of the west

joyandfaith:
Good point.
Turkey is even a NATO member and an ally of the west

Yes Turkey is part of NATO but they have taken a neutral stand. The are still trading with Russia and from what I saw somewhere they have accepted to trade with Russia with Russian currency just like India

Rastaramsey:
The aim has been achieved.....


Ukraine has Crippled their military

U.k and u.s has used sanctions to cripple their economy

Nice plan

Ukraine go repair their country asap...

How do you define "crippled with sanctions?"

1$ =80 ruble, after the sanctions it jumped to 120 ruble and when putin say pay in ruble it dropped to around 90 rubles. Is that what you called crippled?

If you don't know Russia Is self sufficient in food, oil, gas, fertiliser and some other items which the EU and USA need desperately.

Germany is the one powering the whole of Europe, can you imagine what would happened if Russia turn off the gas supply to Germany or the whole of Europe?

That is good

Rastaramsey:
The aim has been achieved.....


Ukraine has Crippled their military

U.k and u.s has used sanctions to cripple their economy

Nice plan

Ukraine go repair their country asap...

Kindly explain

How this is true


Or has Ukraine captured Moscow?

It would be stupid to allow to snakes from the west to act as mediators. Let them fućk off with their diplomacy. Biased piece of shits

MangekyoAlt:
It would be stupid to allow to snakes from the west to act as mediators. Let them fućk off with their diplomacy. Biased piece of shits

Yeah! The hypocritical snake and its puppet are not allowed.

Biden is so stupid that he could call putting a butcher, he even went as far as calling for a regime change in Russia.

As we speak they are sending more weapon to Ukraine and bullying other nations to sanction Russia.

usj:
Yes Turkey is part of NATO but they have taken a neutral stand. The are still trading with Russia and from what I saw somewhere they have accepted to trade with Russia with Russian currency just like India

Anything that will stop blood shedding is welcome.

joyandfaith:
Anything that will stop blood shedding is welcome.

That's true.

duh....why would a sheep invite wolves to their meetings?!

usj:
How do you define "crippled with sanctions?"

1$ =80 ruble, after the sanctions it jumped to 120 ruble and when putin say pay in ruble it dropped to around 90 rubles. Is that what you called crippled?

If you don't know Russia Is self sufficient in food, oil, gas, fertiliser and some other items which the EU and USA need desperately.

Germany is the one powering the whole of Europe, can you imagine what would happened if Russia turn off the gas supply to Germany or the whole of Europe?

you think Russia wouldn’t have turned it off if it’s advantageous to them?