The head of Russian diplomacy, Serguei Lavrov, accused Western countries on Monday of trying to persuade Kiev not to negotiate with Moscow over a solution to the war in Ukraine.
For example, during a visit to South Africa, Lavrov echoed a recent remark by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who accused Western countries of obstructing peace negotiations, while Russia repeatedly rejected Ukrainian and Western demands, as a condition of any negotiation, that it military forces from Ukraine, which invaded it in February 2022.
“It is known that we support the proposal from the Ukrainian side to negotiate, at the beginning of the special military operation and at the end of March, the two delegations agreed on the principle of resolving this conflict”claimed Lavrov, referring to initial contacts between the delegations of the two countries, which did not lead to results.
“It is known, and has been made public, that our American, British and some European colleagues have told Ukraine that it is too early to negotiate”said the Russian foreign minister.
US President Joe Biden has announced his willingness to talk to Putin if the Russian leader shows he is serious about ending the invasion.
Lavrov is in Pretoria for talks with his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, as Russia tries to strengthen ties between the two countries.
South Africa is seen as the most important of several African countries to take a neutral stance in the war and refuse to condemn the Russian invasion.
Lavrov met with Pandor in the South African capital and will visit other African countries in the space of six months on his second trip to Africa.
“We are fully aware that conflict, anywhere in the world, has a negative impact on all of us. (…) That is why South Africa will always be ready to support conflict resolution everywhere”assured the head of South African diplomacy.
South Africa continues to maintain strong ties with Russia, dating back to the Soviet Union’s support for the country’s current ruling party, the African National Congress, when it was just a liberation movement fighting to end the system of repression. Apartheid’ against South Africa’s black majority.
This relationship helps to understand why South Africa last year abstained from a United Nations vote condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 has so far led to the flight of more than 14 million people — 6.5 million internally displaced persons and nearly eight million to European countries — according to the latest data from the UN, which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russian security – was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and Russia political and economic sanctions.
Source: DN
