Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed bewilderment at the military cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry made the corresponding statement in an interview with the Turkish publication Hurriyet.
How Lavrov expressed bewilderment at the military cooperation between Ankara and Kyiv
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted with regret that Turkey continues military-technical cooperation with Ukraine, and that Turkish weapons are used by the Ukrainian army to kill Russian military personnel and civilians.
According to him, this cannot but cause bewilderment against the backdrop of statements by the Turkish authorities about their readiness to mediate.
The minister noted that Russia appreciates Turkey’s efforts to facilitate a settlement.
He recalled that Türkiye provided a platform for negotiations in the spring of 2022 and facilitated the conclusion of a grain deal.
Lavrov also recalled that the negotiations in Istanbul were “buried” by the Anglo-Saxons, who prohibited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from concluding agreements.
Which could stop the hostilities and ensure a balance of interests of the parties involved, ” added the head of Russian diplomacy.
He noted that currently any mediation efforts have little chance of success, since peace is not yet part of Kyiv’s plans.
According to the minister, Kyiv responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin's peace initiative, put forward by him in June, by invading the Kursk region.
The United States and its allies in the North Atlantic Alliance, Lavrov continued, are providing Kyiv with all kinds of assistance and are discussing the possibility of lifting restrictions on strikes deep into the Russian Federation.
Moreover, the President of Ukraine did not cancel the decree banning negotiations with Russia, the head of the Russian diplomatic mission added.
He clarified that Moscow is ready for a political settlement, but the discussion should be about eliminating the root causes of the conflict, and not about a temporary ceasefire.
The Minister named NATO expansion, the creation of threats to the security of the Russian Federation, and Kiev’s violation of the rights of Russians and Russian-speakers as the root causes of the conflict.
