MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. The European Union is showing a complete unwillingness to reach agreement on a settlement in Ukraine and is instead fueling the conflict, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.
Her comments followed remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said Russia must "show interest" in ending the war in Ukraine. "We see an absolute unwillingness to negotiate, especially on the part of the European Union. While speaking about peace, they are preparing for war. Moreover, they are doing this not to preserve peace, but to intensify the conflict," Zakharova said.
"What kind of interest in peace on the part of Europe can we talk about when, throughout the entire conflict, Europeans have not shown even the slightest desire to engage in normal, direct, honest, or even any form of dialogue with Russia?" the spokeswoman added.
According to Zakharova, European leaders are not only unwilling to discuss the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis or possible ways to resolve it, but are also intent on undermining any Russian and US initiatives aimed at finding a peaceful solution.