Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that he sees no objective signs that Ukraine or the West are ready for peace talks, despite their frequent statements on the issue, Reuters quoted him as saying.
"Despite increasingly noisy statements about the need for peace talks, there are no practical actions to show that Kiev and the West are really ready for them," Lavrov said, according to a transcript of a briefing published on the Russian Foreign Ministry website.
Lavrov stressed that instead of seeking a solution, the West continues to supply weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces, issues ultimatums to Russia and does not take action on the issue of the legitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities.
The conflict in Ukraine cannot be resolved in 100 days without realism in the US approach. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov to TASS.
"I would first like to understand on what basis the American side will move towards an agreement. If it is based on the signals that we have been hearing in recent days, then this will not happen in 100 days or even more. "If there is more realism in Washington's approach, then a certain process will probably begin, the pace of which is also difficult to predict today," the deputy minister noted.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in December that Moscow has no preconditions for starting negotiations with Ukraine and is ready to negotiate with anyone, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, Putin specified that in order for Zelensky to be considered a legitimate signatory to any agreement, he must be re-elected after his term was extended due to martial law.
Kiev categorically rejects the question of Zelensky's legitimacy, stating that such statements from Moscow are aimed at undermining his authority.