MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has listed four conditions for negotiations with Ukraine at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry, including the withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces from Donbass and Novorossiya and Kiev's refusal to join NATO. According to him, Russia wants its neighbor Ukraine to be neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear, as well as expects the West to lift its illegal sanctions.
TASS has gathered the president’s main statements.
On conditions of negotiations with Kiev
As soon as Kiev starts withdrawing troops from Donbass and Novorossiya "within their administrative borders that existed at the time of their entry into Ukraine" and "officially announces the renunciation of plans to join NATO," Russia will cease fire and be ready for negotiations.
Russia considers Ukraine's neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status and the lifting of all Western sanctions as a necessary condition.
On Ukrainian conflict
The peoples of Russia and Ukraine would find a way to settle all issues fairly, but the reason for the conflict that has arisen is the "reckless" and "absolutely adventurous" policy of the West.
Russia did not start the war as part of a special operation, it was the Kiev regime that started and continues the hostilities: "This is aggression."
Moscow appealed to the Kiev authorities to withdraw troops from Donbass and thus resolve the conflict in the region, but "this proposal was practically immediately rejected."
Russia "took" the Minsk agreements "with all seriousness."
The will of the inhabitants of Donbass, Novorossiya, Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions to be with Russia is unshakable, "this issue is closed forever."
On formation of multipolarity
Russia should form its own agenda in politics, "together with its partners offer to discuss in an open constructive discussion options for solving problems of fundamental issues."
The world is changing rapidly, more and more countries are striving for self-sufficiency: "On the basis of the new political and economic reality, the contours of a multipolar and multilateral world order are taking shape today."
Multipolarity is emerging in the world: "These profound systemic changes certainly inspire optimism and hope."
On security system
Russia should develop its system of "equal and indivisible" security in Eurasia.
Moscow is interested in seeing the dialogue on this issue "seriously developed within the UN."
At the end of the last century, the world had "a unique opportunity to build a reliable and just order in the field of security," Russia was determined to do so, but the West saw it differently.
Russia constantly pointed out "the fallacy of the course chosen by the Western elites" and offered options and a constructive solution.
The Western scheme "proclaimed as the only correct one to ensure security" does not work; "NATO-style diplomacy" produces the opposite result. No country in the world is immune from being added to the list of victims of "Western diplomacy."
The future security architecture should be open to all countries in the region: "For all means for European, NATO countries, certainly."
On Russian assets
Any attempts by Western countries to seize Russian assets would be theft and would not go unpunished: "Despite all the nuances, theft will certainly remain theft."
The West has not only undermined military and political stability in the world, but also discredited "key market institutions."
"There is already a growing distrust of the financial system based on Western reserve currencies."
On relations with West
Russia's relations with a number of Western countries have deteriorated, but it is not Moscow's fault.
Statements by a number of European states about Russia's intention to attack Europe are "absolute nonsense."
"If Europe wants to preserve itself as one of the independent centers of world development and cultural and civilizational poles of the planet, it certainly needs to have good, good relations with Russia."
The main threat to Europe is not Russia, but its "critical", "almost total" dependence on the United States.
The selfishness and arrogance of Western states have led to the current extremely dangerous situation, "we have come unacceptably close to the point of no return."
On US ambitions
The US does not stop trying to maintain its imperial status, but this only drains the country and is "in clear contradiction with the real interests of the American people."
"European politicians swallow both the humiliation, boorishness and surveillance scandals of European leaders, and the US simply uses them to its advantage."
Washington itself has abandoned the World Trade Organization (WTO), but is pressuring competitors, "draining" European countries.
On BRICS
Russia will support the process of smooth integration of the new BRICS member countries into the working structures and will make the necessary decisions by the Kazan summit.
The potential of the organization will allow it to eventually become "one of the key regulatory institutions of the multipolar world order."