"We cannot discuss any long-term agreements if Russia's security interests and the rights of Russian people and the Russian community living in Ukraine are not respected," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on 19/8.
Lavrov said Russia does not rule out any form of negotiation to resolve the Ukraine issue, including bilateral and trilateral talks, as well as multilateral formats like those at the United Nations.
"This activity is not for publication in newspapers or broadcast on TV, followed by discussions on social media. It must be gradual, starting from the expert level and going through the necessary stages to prepare for summit meetings," Lavrov said.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Photo: RIA Novosti |
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Photo: RIA Novosti
According to Lavrov, a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict "must be very carefully prepared." He affirmed Russia's support for a serious approach to the issue.
The Russian foreign minister said his country has never aimed to control territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, Donbas, or Novorossiya, a term used to refer to the Black Sea coastal region. "Our goal is to protect the people, including those of Russian origin, who have lived there for centuries," he said.
Lavrov assessed that US President Donald Trump and his advisors, especially after the US-Russia summit in Alaska on 15/8, have taken a much deeper approach to resolving the Ukraine issue, understanding "the need to eliminate the root causes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently mentioned."
"One of the root causes is Russia's security, related to the commitment not to expand NATO eastward, which has been violated repeatedly over decades," Lavrov said. "President Putin reiterated that after these commitments, NATO has expanded 5 times."
Lavrov made these comments after President Trump announced on 18/8 that he had called Putin and was arranging a summit between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, as well as a trilateral meeting with US participation.
Yuri Ushakov, Russian presidential advisor on foreign policy, confirmed that Putin and Trump spoke for about 40 minutes at the request of the US president.
Ushakov said both presidents support direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and the need to consider upgrading the representation within the Moscow and Kyiv delegations involved in this effort.
Nguyen Tien (TASS, RIA Novosti, AFP)
