Russia is prepared to hear proposals from the European Union if the bloc adopts a constructive approach, but Moscow can no longer afford to rely on Europe’s promises or expectations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“We know how we will tackle our challenges. If Europe were suddenly to come up with something genuinely constructive – after all, new people are coming to power in certain countries – then we would probably be prepared to listen, and once we have listened, we will draw our own conclusions as to whether it is acceptable or not," he said, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.
At the same time, Lavrov said Russia would not base its foreign policy decisions on commitments from Europe.
“But when it comes to any aspect of our foreign policy – in terms of achieving our development goals and strengthening Russia’s international position – we simply no longer have the right to rely, even in the slightest, on Europe’s promises or expectations,” he said.
Lavrov also reiterated that Russia would not agree to halt its military advance along the front line as a condition for starting negotiations on a settlement in Ukraine.
“‘We are always ready [for negotiations on Ukraine], but, I repeat once again, when we sit down at the negotiating table, even if the other side puts forward sensible ideas, proposals and reasonable people, we will not take anyone’s word for it. [...] We are ready for negotiations, of course, but we will not allow ourselves to be taken for a ride. Although we can sometimes be naive, and perhaps, out of good faith, we might once again be misled, we are now on high alert,” he noted.
Lavrov said Moscow rejected calls for a ceasefire along the current line of contact before negotiations begin, arguing that Russia had already had a negative experience with such an approach.
“All the same, they tell us: ‘Let’s have a ceasefire along the line of contact, and then – negotiations.’ No, we’ve already done that: when we reached an agreement in Istanbul, initialled it and, as a gesture of goodwill, ceased fire and even – as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has said on more than one occasion – withdrew our troops from Kyiv. Immediately afterwards, we were faced with [former UK Prime Minister Boris] Johnson and Bucha,” Lavrov noted.
By Sabina Mammadli
