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Ukraine must clear its stance on negotiations, Russia does not reject talks — Lavrov

"We, as the president of Russia Vladimir Putin said, do not refuse to negotiate. But those who refuse must be aware: the longer they refuse to hold talks, the more difficult it will be to identify a solution," Russia's top diplomat said

PRETORIA, January 23. /TASS/. Ukraine might clarify through mediators how it sees the further development of the situation and possible negotiations with Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following talks with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor on Monday.

"It might be possible to go and ask any mediator to make it clear how the Ukrainian side sees the further march of events. We, as the president [of Russia Vladimir Putin] said, do not refuse to negotiate. But those who refuse must be aware: the longer they refuse to hold talks, the more difficult it will be to identify a solution," Lavrov said, when asked who could mediate possible negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Lavrov also recalled that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had previously issued a decree to ban negotiations with Russia. Also, Lavrov drew attention to Western politicians’ statements that the time had not yet come for negotiations between Moscow and Kiev.

Earlier, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that negotiations between Moscow and Kiev were impossible at the moment, because there were no conditions in place for them either de facto or de jure.