Lavrov sets out Russia's conditions for settling war against Ukraine
Photo: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Getty Images)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has voiced Moscow's conditions for settling the war with Ukraine. He demands the neutral status of Ukraine and the recognition of the occupied territories, according to O Globo.
In an interview with Brazilian media, Lavrov put forward several demands that Moscow considers “the basis for resolving the Ukrainian crisis.”
The Russian minister said that one of the main points should be Ukraine's rejection of NATO membership and the inscription of its neutral status.
Lavrov also voiced claims of “violations of the rights of Russian speakers” and demanded international recognition of the occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
According to Lavrov, these territorial “realities” should be legally enshrined, and all Ukraine's obligations should be “indefinite.”
Russia is also demanding “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine, terms that the Kremlin usually uses to cover up attempts to subjugate or destroy Ukrainian statehood.
Lavrov also demanded that sanctions against Russia be lifted, that arrest warrants for Russian officials be lifted, and that frozen Russian assets be returned.
Negotiations with the US on Ukraine
The Russian foreign minister said that Russia continues to engage in dialogue with the Donald Trump administration on a possible settlement while accusing the European Union of “undermining the negotiation process.”
He was also annoyed at NATO's plans to increase support for Ukraine, including through the supply of weapons and the deployment of additional troops in the region.
Lavrov reiterated that Russia is “open to negotiations,” but again blamed Kyiv for the lack of dialogue.
US peace plan
Reuters has published the US peace plan. The American and the Ukrainian-European documents are similar in many ways, but there are important differences.
For example, Washington recognizes Crimea as Russian at the legal level. The US plan also stipulates that Ukraine will give up its aspiration to become part of NATO.
