(Dan Tri) – Russia affirms that it is always ready to negotiate and resolve diplomatically to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia (Photo: Getty).
Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on May 20, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia once again emphasized that the conflict between Moscow and Kiev can still be resolved peacefully.
`Unlike Ukraine, Russia has never abandoned diplomacy,` Mr. Nebenzia said at the meeting.
The Russian diplomat emphasized: `A real solution to the Ukrainian crisis through political and diplomatic means is still possible.`
Such a solution, he said, would involve the West ending arms supplies to Kiev, as well as Ukraine returning to neutrality and ensuring rights for Russian speakers and minorities.
He added that these steps would `eliminate the reasons that forced Russia to launch its special military operation`.
The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations also said that Switzerland’s upcoming peace summit on Ukraine scheduled to take place in June will `not add value` to the diplomatic process.
He further emphasized, `any potential negotiations must be based on taking Russia’s security concerns fairly into account and recognizing Russia’s concerns on the ground.`
Ambassador Nebenzia said that the conference in Switzerland will focus on `ultimatums` from Ukraine, `separated from reality`, and emphasized that efforts to implement such ultimatums against Moscow will be
Mr. Nebenzia mentioned the so-called `10-point peace formula` that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed.
Moscow has repeatedly stated throughout the conflict that it is willing to participate in peace talks as long as `reality on the ground` is taken into account, referring to the four Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia after
Kiev has not recognized the results of those referendums, nor does it recognize the Crimean peninsula, which annexed Russia in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also banned all negotiations with Russia’s current leadership,
At yesterday’s meeting, Mr. Nebenzia questioned Mr. Zelensky’s negotiating ability and said that `discussing any issue or signing any document with a leader who has lost legitimacy is against
Mr. Zelesnky’s term officially ended on May 20.
On March 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow may not recognize Mr. Zelensky as the legitimate leader of Ukraine after his term ends.