Lavrov claims Russia open to diplomatic solutions on Ukraine, cites lack of serious proposals
Russia claims to be open to political and diplomatic solutions regarding the situation with Ukraine, yet there are no "serious proposals," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a parliamentary session in the State Duma on Wednesday, February 14.
"The countries that have declared war on us have no serious proposals; and due to their unwillingness to consider our interests or the realities on the ground, reaching an agreement at the negotiating table will not be possible at the moment. We do not see any options for this," said Lavrov.
He asserted that Russia remains open to a political and diplomatic resolution concerning Ukraine.
"As President (Vladimir Putin) highlighted in an interview with Tucker Carlson, we are open to a political and diplomatic settlement that respects our legitimate interests and the realities that have evolved over many years and led to the current situation," Lavrov noted.
Furthermore, he expressed the view that Russia "stands at the forefront of the battle for a better future for the world."
"The choice, made by the country's president with the backing of the political class and the entire population in defending Russia's vital interests, has, without exaggeration, positioned our nation at the vanguard of the fight for a better future for the entire world," the minister commented.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that now is "a bad moment" for negotiations with Russia and Ukraine is prepared for a protracted war.