MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. Russia is in favor of a quick diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian issue, does not seek to "tear anyone apart" and wants to coexist peacefully with Ukraine and all of Europe, though not at the expense of its security, Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Alexander Venediktov said in an interview with TASS.
Commenting on publications about Ankara's proposals to organize talks between Russia and Western countries: the UK, the US, Germany and France on Ukraine, the Security Council Deputy Secretary said he was grateful to Turkey "for the efforts that President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is personally making to peacefully resolve the conflict."
"Russia is also a supporter of an early diplomatic solution to the problem. Unlike some other states, we do not want to solve everything by force, we do not call for the destruction of the enemy, we do not seek to ‘tear them to shreds’. No, we want to coexist peacefully not only with Ukraine but with the whole Europe," Venediktov said, commenting on Turkey's mediation efforts for the Ukrainian settlement.
The Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary stressed that Moscow expected Russia's initiatives on equal and indivisible security to be taken more seriously abroad. "The security of one cannot be provided at the expense of the other. So far, over the last few years, Europeans have been trying to ensure their security at our expense," Venediktov pointed out.
The Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported on October 7 that Turkey was planning to organize talks between Russia and the four Western countries on Ukraine, but this information has not been officially confirmed. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters on Wednesday that Moscow expected Erdogan to formally suggest formats for possible talks between Russia and the West at his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Astana on October 13.