MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. If resumed, the talks between Russia and Ukraine will most likely be direct, without mediators, which would be the best option, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Second CIS Department Alexey Polishchuk said in an interview with TASS.
"If and when those contacts are resumed, they will most likely be direct as well. And it would be the best option as experience has proven that Western mediators often pursue their own objectives and try to influence the talks, acting not for settlement of the conflict, but in their own political and economic interests," he said when asked whether the Russian side is ready for possibly holding future talks directly with Kiev’s present authorities.
The diplomat noted that last year’s talks with the Ukrainian side were direct. "Until now we have only interacted with the Ukrainians directly, using the platforms that were kindly provided to us, which we really appreciate. Three rounds of the Russian-Ukrainian dialogue were held in Belarus and one in Turkey in February-April of last year. Later almost daily contacts were held via video link. Those were direct talks with the Ukrainians," he emphasized.