Turkish mediation is unlikely to succeed because Kiev and the West do not want peace – Lavrov – Russian Politics & Diplomacy

MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. Western countries and the Kiev government do not seek peace in Ukraine, and therefore peace efforts by any country, including Turkey, are unlikely to succeed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a call with the Ukrainian government. Hurry newspaper.

“Right now, our adversaries don’t seem to want peace. “Ukraine’s response to President Vladimir Putin’s proposed peace initiative in June was an invasion of the Kursk region by Ukrainian forces, along with air strikes on targets in other border areas,” Lavrov said. said commenting on the prospects for Turkish mediation in the crisis.

“Washington and its allies continue to provide extensive support to Kiev and are discussing the possibility of using Western long-range missiles for attacks deep into Russian territory. Vladimir Zelensky has not withdrawn his order banning negotiations with Moscow. Given these circumstances, it seems unlikely that any country, including Turkey, will succeed in mediation efforts,” he continued.

However, Turkey’s military cooperation with Ukraine raises eyebrows against the backdrop of Ankara’s efforts to mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Lavrov continued.

“Unfortunately, Ankara continues its military-technical cooperation with the Kiev regime. Turkish weapons are being used by the Ukrainian armed forces to kill Russian soldiers and civilians, which is confusing in light of Turkish leaders’ statements that they are willing to provide mediation services. ” he said.

At the same time, he noted that Russia appreciated Turkey’s mediation efforts.

“We appreciate Turkey’s efforts to help resolve the Ukrainian crisis. The Turkish government played a crucial role by offering the Istanbul platform for consultations with representatives from Kiev in the spring of 2022 and by facilitating the grain deal. However, the negotiations in Istanbul were ultimately undermined by the Anglo-Saxons, who prevented Vladimir Zelensky from concluding agreements that could have stopped hostilities and guaranteed the balance of the interests of all parties involved,” Russia’s top diplomat said.

“Russia is open to reaching a political settlement, but this should not only lead to a temporary ceasefire; it must lead to a resolution of the conflict by removing its root causes. These include NATO’s eastward expansion, the creation of threats to key Russian security interests, and the Kiev regime’s violation of the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine,” he added.