MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. European officials attempt to deceive and manipulate their citizens by claiming that Russia is not ready for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo told TASS in an interview.

On January 12, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Russia "has to show that they are interested in peace." On that same day, European Commission Spokeswoman Paula Pinho stated that "at some point there will have to be talks" between the EU and Russia. However, she noted that this time has not yet come because, according to Brussels, Moscow does not want peace.

"They [European countries] will keep saying that Russia does not want peace. In reality, this is all manipulation by skilled politicians and diplomats who put their own meanings in these words in order to deceive people," Saldo said.

He added that Russia has at times behaved "overly decently," citing the Minsk agreements as an example. For eight years Russia sought to resolve the conflict in Ukraine through diplomatic means, while the West was preparing Ukraine for military action, the governor emphasized.

US President Donald Trump said on January 15 that the settlement of the conflict was stuck in the mud due to Kiev’s position. The Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that he shares Trump’s opinion, blaming Vladimir Zelensky for impeding the peace process. On that same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that Moscow seeks a long-term peace in Ukraine that meets the security needs of all countries, an idea it hopes Kiev can grasp.