RUSSIAN FM LAVROV DECLARES HOPE IN PEACE TALKS WITH UKRAINE

Wed 16 March 2022:

The Russia-Ukraine peace talks are not easy, but there is hope for finding a compromise, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

Speaking in an interview with the Russian RBC TV Channel, Lavrov said his assessment is based on the information provided by the Russian delegation at the peace talks with Ukraine.

“They state that the negotiations are not easy for obvious reasons, but nevertheless there is some hope for finding a compromise,” Lavrov noted. Ukraine has also made cautious positive statements on peace talks.

Ukraine talks difficult, but Russia wants peace: negotiator

Talks with Ukraine are difficult and slow, but Russia sincerely wants peace as soon as possible, Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky has been quoted by Interfax as saying.

“The negotiations are hard, going slowly. Of course, we would like it all to happen much faster, this is a sincere desire of the Russian side. We want to come to peace as soon as possible,” Medinsky said.

“We need a peaceful, free, independent Ukraine, neutral – not a member of military blocs, not a member of NATO,” he added.

Ukraine rejects Russian neutrality idea

Ukraine has dismissed Russian proposals to turn it into a neutral state, Kiev’s negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak has said

“Ukraine is now in a direct state of war with Russia. Consequently, the model can only be ‘Ukrainian’ and only on legally verified security guarantees”, Podolyak said.

UK’s Truss sceptical on peace talks over Ukraine

Britain’s foreign secretary Liz Truss has said she is skeptical about peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, adding Russian President Vladimir Putin had to be stopped at all costs.

“I am skeptical about the peace talks whilst Putin is still waging war in Ukraine. He has to implement a ceasefire and withdraw his troops for those peace talks to be taken to be taken seriously,” Truss told BBC TV.

Putin has to be stopped “at all costs”, she said.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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