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Military operation in Ukraine

Lavrov lambasts Zelensky’s 'absurd' ideas of how to settle conflict

The top diplomat stressed that negotiations with Zelensky were out of the question

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is putting forward absurd ideas of how to handle the conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference devoted to Russian diplomacy in 2022 on Wednesday.

"Zelensky puts forward completely absurd initiatives, like a ten-point plan, where everything is piled up - food security, energy security, biological security, withdrawal of Russian troops from everywhere, Russia’s repentance, tribunal and condemnation," Lavrov said.

Lavrov stressed that negotiations with Zelensky were out of the question.

"At least because he legally forbade negotiations with the Russian government," he recalled.

While addressing the G20 summit in mid-November by video link, Zelensky said that Kiev had its own ten-point "peace plan." He mentioned nuclear, food and energy security, the exchange of "held persons" according to the "all-for-all" formula, and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Once again Zelensky recalled that Kiev was insisting on international security guarantees and had developed a draft of the corresponding document. The Ukrainian leader added that Kiev wished to see the establishment of an international mechanism to compensate for Ukraine’s losses from hostilities at the expense of Russian assets.

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Sergey Lavrov Vladimir Zelensky Military operation in Ukraine

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