According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Ukrainian administration is aware of Russia’s demands.
18:00•Updated 18:03
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday, Monday, that it is the responsibility of the Ukrainian authorities to see to the realization of the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of the country.
Lavrov also said that “in order to eliminate threats to Russia’s security”, the Ukrainian administration must also accept the forced annexations of four regions of Ukraine made by Russia last fall.
According to Lavrov, these demands are known to the Ukrainian administration.
– The matter is simple. Please implement the suggestions for your own good. Otherwise, the matter will be left to the Russian armed forces to decide, Lavrov said, according to the Russian state news agency Tassi.
By demilitarization, Lavrov refers to the dismantling of the Ukrainian armed forces. Denazification, on the other hand, is an unfounded claim cultivated by Russia in its propaganda, according to which Ukraine must be rid of “Nazis”.
Peace negotiations seem to be far away
Lavrov’s speeches on denazification are reminiscent of Russia’s rhetoric from last spring in the early weeks of the invasion, when the Russian president Vladimir Putin repeated several times that the aim of the war was to purge the Ukrainian regime of alleged Nazis, although in reality the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi is Jewish.
Yesterday’s speeches by Lavrov, who acts as Putin’s messenger, are noteworthy, because in recent weeks Russia has claimed that it is also ready for peace negotiations with Ukraine.
– We are ready to negotiate acceptable solutions with everyone involved, but it is up to them. We don’t refuse to negotiate, they do, Putin said last Sunday CNN (you will switch to another service) by.
Ukraine has also said that it is ready for peace negotiations, but according to Ukraine’s demand, Russia must withdraw from the territories it seized from Ukraine after 2014.
Russia has not shown any intention to accept Ukraine’s demand, so peace negotiations conducted in good spirit seem remote.
According to Ukraine, Russia is playing for time for a new attack
Assistant to Ukrainian President Zelensky Alexander Rodnianski comment today to CNN (you will switch to another service) That Russia is just trying to buy time for a new attack by talking about peace talks.
On the front, neither side has made much progress in recent weeks. However, the fighting has continued fiercely, especially in eastern Ukraine in the city of Bahmut, which has been almost completely destroyed.
Ukraine has communicated that Russia has strengthened its defense positions in the areas captured from Ukraine during the winter. Ukraine also says that it is preparing for another major attack by Russia.
Governor of Luhansk region Serhi Haidai said today that Russia is currently bringing large amounts of equipment and new troops to the area of the city of Kreminna in eastern Ukraine.
– The blitzkrieg has gone completely wrong for them and they know it, so they need more time to reorganize and replenish their forces, Rodnianksi said.
According to Rodniansky, by talking about peace talks, the Kremlin is trying to dissuade the world from sending military support to Ukraine.
– We must not fall into this trap, Rodnianski said.
Sources: AP, Reuters