MOSCOW, December 12. /TASS/. Any speculation about holding Moscow-Kiev talks is meaningless as long as Ukraine keeps its official ban on dialogue with the Russian authorities in place, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday.
"The possibility of negotiations cannot be equated with the lifting of Kiev's self-imposed prohibition on such talks," Ryabkov said. "The absurdity of discussing potential negotiations, while they are formally banned, should be obvious to everyone - except, it seems, to those determining Kiev’s policies."
"I’m referring not only to the authorities in Ukraine but also to those located thousands of kilometers away who are heavily involved in shaping Kiev's political agenda," he continued.
"Once all of these players understand the need to address the most pressing priorities first, perhaps then such discussions can merit attention. But that moment has yet to come," the Russian diplomat added.