Sergei Lavrov. Photo: Kristina Kormilitsyna/POOL/TASS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spent Monday in Saudi Arabia. In the capital Riyadh, he took part in the Strategic Dialogue of the Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council. He also met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the foreign ministers of India and Brazil…
At the final press conference, Lavrov spoke about German Chancellor Scholz’s attempt to become a “dove of peace” in Ukraine. And in response to a question from Komsomolskaya Pravda, he said: Russian diplomats regularly exchange views even on “more or less important” issues of international politics.
“TERRITORY EXCHANGE” WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM
The minister began his conversation with journalists with the topic of peace talks in Ukraine, which the West is raising. That is why German Chancellor Scholz said on the radio that Russia should take part in the second “peace summit”.
– Zelensky’s initiative has been known for a long time and has already put everyone on edge. This is a pure ultimatum, and the fact that the West is clinging to this ultimatum means that it does not want to negotiate honestly, said Sergey Lavrov. “The West wants to continue to do everything possible to bring Russia closer, as they hope, to a situation where they can declare that they have inflicted a strategic defeat on us on the battlefield.”
The diplomat reiterated once again that Moscow has never seriously considered the so-called “Zelensky formula.”
Lavrov stressed that Russia’s top priority was to ensure that Russians in Ukraine were treated humanely. No amount of “territorial exchanges” talked about in the West would solve the key issue of people’s rights.
According to the minister, he discussed this issue in Riyadh with his Indian and Brazilian colleagues, who are ready to help overcome the Ukrainian crisis, without considering the underlying causes for which there is no solution. Moscow is constantly talking to Beijing on this issue.
Journalists asked whether Saudi Arabia could really become a real negotiating platform on Ukraine, taking into account the interests of all parties.
The Foreign Minister said: The important thing is not where to discuss, but what exactly to discuss. But the West is not going to change its position for now.
DIY
Sergey Lavrov spoke about the importance of the BRICS (Saudi Arabia became a member this year). Now the association has received more than three dozen applications for membership or special relations – this is another proof of the growing multipolarity of the world. By the way, Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman received an invitation to the BRICS summit in Kazan, which will be held on October 22-24.
Another topic of the press conference was the conflict in the Middle East. At the end of January, the minister recalled, a meeting was held in Moscow at which all Palestinian factions agreed to unite on the basis of the principles of organizing the liberation of Palestine. However, this step has not yet been implemented in practice.
– The Qatari publication New Arab declared the superiority of the Chinese model of peace settlement in the Middle East after the failure of all other major powers. Do you agree with this assessment of the diplomatic efforts of the mediators? – Komsomolskaya Pravda asked Lavrov a question.
– I have not read this message, but I know that the People’s Republic of China took the initiative and invited representatives of Hamas and Fatah (Movement for the National Emancipation of Palestine – Ed.) to Beijing. In the spring, two meetings were held and they had the same purpose as I mentioned. A document was adopted which once again confirmed the agreements signed in Moscow,
My Chinese colleagues and I regularly exchange views on international affairs and other more or less important issues of international politics.
