Russia is “ready for negotiations” on Ukraine | Press Conference | United Nations
111,369
Published 2024-07-17
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today (17 Jul) said Russia is “ready for negotiations” on Ukraine, but stressed that before signing any agreement, Russia “will look at the wording very carefully and will protect this document from repeated, unscrupulous, non-binding clauses and malicious interpretations.”
Talking to reporters in New York, Lavrov said, “the so-called Zelenskyy plan” has “the distinct form of an ultimatum,” and is “unacceptable, which is well known to everyone for a long time.
He said, “when it comes to peace efforts, for some reason everyone is talking about” the June 2024 Ukraine peace summit in Bürgenstock, and “no one is talking about China's initiatives, which were several earlier this year and were mentioned yesterday in their speech.”
The Russian Foreign Minister said, “if we talk about the evolution of this whole process. We are told that Russia must withdraw to the 1991 border. The problem is we've been lied to all the time. If the agreement signed by President Yanukovych with the opposition had been implemented in February 2014 - and it consisted in creating a government of national unity and preparing for early presidential elections - if it were implemented, Ukraine would now be within the borders of 1991.”
He said, “if the Minsk Agreements were fulfilled, Ukraine would be within the 1991 borders minus Crimea. Because no one even stuttered about Crimea at that time.”
Lavrov said, “it turned out that we were also lied to when they said that this agreement was the way to peace. Or they didn't lie. Probably, the Ukrainian negotiators were sincere when they initiated this document to endorse. But, as the chief negotiator admitted in a recent TV interview, Boris Johnson came and barred them from fulfilling the agreement. That is why it was never signed.”
He said, “taking into account the sad experience of talking and consulting with the West and Ukrainians, the agreement that, I hope, will be reached at some stage on European security, and in this context, the Ukrainian crisis will be resolved. Of course, we will look at the wording very carefully and will protect this document from repeated, unscrupulous, non-binding clauses and malicious interpretations.”
Asked about the upcoming elections in the United States, the Russian official said, “it was during Trump's presidency that the sanctions war began. Obama started it, in fairness. Under Trump, sanctions increased, both economic and diplomatic. But at that time, as I said, there was a dialogue between us and Washington at the highest and highest levels. There is no such dialogue now.”
Lavrov is in New York coinciding with Russia’s presidency of the Security Council and on Tuesday (16 Jul) chaired a Ministerial-level meeting on “Multilateral cooperation in the interest of a more just, democratic and sustainable world order.”
All Comments (21)
-
Shouldn't he be in prison for calling a war a war?
-
Did Russia say the same thing more than a year ago or so?
-
He is the same guy who was saying that Russia did not invade and does not occupy anybody.
-
One hour and sixteen minutes of Codswallop.
-
They want appeasement... They are starting to be afraid of tall buildings with windows.
-
Das bedeutet, Russland ist bereit die Bedingungen zu diktieren :-)
-
All words...just leave Ukraine
-
Whenever someone says "i think it clear to everyone.....blah blah" It means the lies are coming out to play again
-
Mafia has no say
-
Lavrov, you are ready when you withdraw from Ukraine💙💛
-
Soo the term SMO is now dead. Remind you that for a russian individual calling this tragedy a war he will go to jail. Lavrov now calls it a war. Thats telling.
-
They are not ready to talk at the moment but in the near future they will be.
-
I can not trust these guys.
-
This Russian old man say something diff. from what he meant to. This is not a negotiation he would like to happen. He demand but say he would like to negotiate.
-
He actually said "sovereign equality of all states" I guess he meant "all except Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova".
-
He didn't get his nickname 'Lying Lavrov' for nothing. He excells in BS, and he is in absolute top form here.
-
Trust Russia? Isn't this the same country that said it wouldn't invade Ukraine??
-
Thank you The UN for airing the meeting. Lots of people have patiently listen to the long news conference. Seems it is more of a strategy than a solution. Thank you
-
No one is listening any more pal.
-
lier diplomats...
