Lavrov explained why Putin does not need a new meeting with Zelensky
Russia does not see the need to hold another summit in the Normandy format, since Ukraine has still not fulfilled the agreements reached at the last meeting in Paris.
This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We will never agree on a new summit until all the decisions that were made in Paris are honestly, fully and conscientiously implemented, and there is no other way to implement them except to behave correctly in the Contact Group and reach agreements with Donetsk and Lugansk,” the minister said.
So far, Lavrov noted, Ukraine is avoiding dialogue with the LDPR. This will be discussed at the upcoming video conference with the foreign ministers of France and Germany.
“I foresee probably quite an important conversation at the ministerial level, because we have talked about all this many times in Germany and France. We asked them to take upon themselves the responsibility to still encourage the Ukrainian authorities to work honestly and constructively, but, frankly speaking, I don’t expect any result from this video conference, except that the Ukrainian colleagues will probably again say “let’s gather in Berlin as soon as possible.” . It is important for them to demonstrate that they are meeting in the Normandy format, and at the same time pay as little attention as possible to the Contact Group, where they have the opportunity to directly resolve issues with Donetsk and Lugansk. They want to get away from this in every possible way. And make sure that the “Normandy format” becomes the only channel for conversation on the Minsk agreements. They believe that within the framework of this “Normandy format” there is Russia as an “aggressor country,” and France and Germany are helping Ukraine force Russia to do everything that the Ukrainian side itself should do, I emphasize, in direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk. It’s a difficult situation,” said the Russian Foreign Minister.
At the same time, Lavrov emphasized that Ukrainian politicians do not have the right to refer to the supposed non-binding nature of the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Donbass.
“The Minsk agreements were approved by the UN Security Council, and thereby gained international legal force. As such, they must be implemented,” the minister said.
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