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Military operation in Ukraine

Kiev regime has no will for peace — top Russian diplomat

The September 30, 2022 ban on holding negotiations with the Russian leadership introduced by Zelensky remains in effect, Sergey Lavrov said

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s regime is operating within war rhetoric, lacking any will for peace, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an exclusive interview with TASS on the results of 2023.

"We have to ascertain the lack of any will for peace on the part of the Zelensky regime. Its representatives are thinking within the terms of war, resorting to rather aggressive rhetoric. Any cessation of combat is out of the question [on their part]. The September 30, 2022 ban on holding negotiations with the Russian leadership introduced by Zelensky remains in effect. Draw your own conclusions," the top Russian diplomat said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed that the Russian side had never rejected any peace talks with Ukraine. That said, the Russian leader noted that Ukraine "publicly announced leaving the negotiation process" in the spring of 2022.

Earlier, Lavrov said that the more Kiev postponed the negotiations, the more difficult it would be to reach an agreement. According to the Russian foreign minister, the first step in the talks between Russia and Ukraine should be the lifting of Zelensky’s ban on dialogue with Moscow.

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Foreign policy Ukraine Sergey Lavrov Vladimir Zelensky Military operation in Ukraine

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