Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov criticizes Turkey's weapon supply to Ukraine amid ongoing mediation efforts
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has openly criticized Turkey for its ongoing supply of weapons to Ukraine. Lavrov stated in an interview with the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet that Ankara continues its military-technical cooperation with the "Kyiv regime." According to Lavrov, Turkish weaponry is being used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to target Russian soldiers and civilians.
Lavrov argued that Turkey's actions stand in stark contradiction to its willingness to mediate in resolving what he termed as the "military conflict" in Ukraine. Despite this, he acknowledged Russia’s appreciation for Turkey’s mediation efforts, citing the 2022 Istanbul negotiations and the grain export agreement facilitated by Turkey as notable contributions to resolving the crisis.
In his interview, Lavrov expressed skepticism about Turkey's potential success as a mediator in the peace process due to an order by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, prohibiting negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he affirmed Russia’s openness to a political settlement, emphasizing that this should not be a temporary ceasefire but rather a resolution through eliminating the conflict's underlying causes.
Lavrov also reminded that Russia condemned Israel's targeted assassinations of leaders of radical terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as high-ranking Iranian military officials. "We proposed to assess these actions in the UN Security Council. However, this was impossible due to opposition from Western members," Lavrov explained to Turkish journalists.
The Moscow Times previously reported, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan indicated that during discussions with Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan, he sensed a willingness from the Russian president to seek a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin confirmed that Russia is open to "reasonable compromises" with Ukraine to end the war, emphasizing that this does not imply concessions or exchanges. He stressed, "The outcome should favor Russia, I say this clearly, without any hesitation, and should reflect the realities on the battlefield." Meanwhile, according to Erdoğan, Kyiv continues to refuse negotiations with Moscow despite Russia's supposed willingness.
In June, Putin outlined the conditions for commencing peace talks with Ukraine. These include Kyiv's acceptance of a neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear status, as well as "denazification" and recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, along with Crimea. Additionally, Putin demands the lifting of all Western sanctions against Russia, describing these terms as "yet another concrete, realistic peace proposal."
He concluded that should Kyiv and Western capitals reject this proposal, it would be their political and moral responsibility for the continuation of bloodshed.