Russia has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of enjoying a “sport” by demanding a gathering with President Vladimir Putin even because it questioned his “legitimacy” whereas charging his European backers of searching for to extend the battle, not like US President Donald Trump, who favours a diplomatic answer.
Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov additionally stated that his nation has no real interest in seizing Ukrainian land however needs to guard ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking folks from “persecution” by Kiev.
Russia is open to talks with Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky, given that he’s the “de facto head of the regime” in Kiev, however any offers may solely be signed by a professional consultant of Ukraine, Lavrov stated in an interview with NBC aired on Sunday, RT reported.
He didn’t rule out direct talks between President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, “supplied this assembly is basically going to determine one thing”, however famous the required groundwork for such negotiations isn’t in place.
Acknowledging that Zelensky is the “de facto head of the regime”, Lavrov stated that “the difficulty of who’s going to signal the deal on the Ukrainian aspect could be very critical” and Moscow “would want a really clear understanding by everyone that the one that is signing is professional”.
Zelensky’s presidential time period ended greater than a yr in the past, and he has refused to carry a brand new election, citing martial legislation, RT reported.
Lavrov additionally claimed that Zelensky’s requires a gathering with Putin are “principally a sport” and a technique to strengthen the Ukrainian chief’s questionable legitimacy.
“A sport he is excellent (at) as a result of he needs theatrics in all the things he’s doing. He doesn’t care about substance,” he informed NBC.
Nevertheless, he questioned the efficacy of such talks, which might not yield any outcomes, citing instances the place Zelensky has straight defied Trump.
“Zelensky stated no to all the things… He clearly acknowledged that no one can prohibit him from becoming a member of NATO… he publicly acknowledged that he’s not going to debate any territories.”
The Russian Minister additionally accused Ukraine’s European allies of wanting the battle in Ukraine to proceed, not like the US President, “who appears to have genuinely embraced the trail of diplomacy”.
He famous that the response of a number of European leaders to the unprecedented summit between Presidents Putin and Trump in Alaska, and in addition their rhetoric throughout follow-up talks a number of days later involving Zelensky, confirmed that they’re nonetheless on the warpath.
“The response… of those European representatives and what they have been doing… signifies that they don’t need peace. They are saying we can’t permit the defeat of Ukraine. We can’t permit Russia to win,” Lavrov informed NBC.
In the meantime, the minister famous that President Trump has opted for an alternate strategy, which drew Russia’s respect as a result of he was defending “American nationwide pursuits”.
“What… they focus on between themselves isn’t a secret. We wish peace in Ukraine. President Trump needs peace in Ukraine,” Lavrov burdened.
He recalled how Russia and Ukraine got here near a peace settlement early within the battle throughout talks in Istanbul, however alleged that then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several other officers from the then Joe Biden administration within the US, the French and the Germans had scuttled it.
Within the interview with NBC, Lavrov, requested whether or not halting Moscow’s army offensive was the one concession it was ready to make, stated: “We don’t have any curiosity in territories. We’ve the most important territory on Earth.”
“What we’re involved about… is the individuals who stay on these lands, whose ancestors lived there for hundreds of years.”
Lavrov stated Moscow’s objective is “to take away any safety threats to Russia coming from Ukrainian territory” in addition to “to guard the rights of the ethnic Russian and Russian-speaking individuals who consider they belong to Russian tradition and Russian historical past”.
By the way, Zelensky on Sunday rejected US calls to withdraw its declare to Crimea or make any territorial concessions to Russia.
In a speech marking Ukraine’s Independence Day, he vowed to retake the peninsula, in addition to reclaim the Donetsk and Lugansk Individuals’s Republics, which, together with Kherson and Zaporozhye Areas, have been included into Russia in 2022.
“Right here on the zero kilometre, it is a start line the place distances to Ukrainian cities are marked – to our Donetsk, our Lugansk, our Crimea,” Zelensky stated in an tackle filmed on the Maidan Sq., the location of the 2014 coup.
“All of that is Ukraine… and no short-term occupation can change that. In the future… we will likely be collectively once more as one nation. It’s solely a matter of time,” he stated.
Whereas mediating peace efforts between Moscow and Kiev, President Trump had floated the thought of “land swaps,” however firmly acknowledged that Kiev is not going to regain Crimea, calling that state of affairs “inconceivable”.
Territory was reportedly on the agenda at talks between Trump, Zelensky, and choose EU leaders earlier this week following the Alaska summit, however the Ukrainian chief reportedly rejected proposals to cede territory.
“Ukraine won’t ever once more in historical past be compelled to bear the disgrace that the Russians name ‘a compromise’,” he stated on Sunday.