Turkish mediation is unlikely to succeed, since Kyiv and the West do not want peace – Lavrov – Russian Politics and Diplomacy

MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. Western countries and the Kiev government are not committed to peace in Ukraine, and therefore peace efforts by any country, including Turkey, are unlikely to succeed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Hurriyet newspaper.

“At the moment, our opponents, apparently, do not want peace. Ukraine’s reaction to President Vladimir Putin’s proposed peace initiative in June was the invasion of the Kursk region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as airstrikes on targets in other border areas,” Lavrov said. said, commenting on the prospects for Turkey’s mediation in the crisis.

“Washington and its allies continue to provide broad support to Kyiv and are discussing the possibility of using long-range Western missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. Vladimir Zelensky did not cancel his order banning negotiations with Moscow. Given these circumstances, it seems unlikely that any country, including Turkey, will be successful in mediation efforts,” he continued.

However, Turkey’s military cooperation with Ukraine is surprising given Ankara’s efforts to mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Lavrov continued.

“Unfortunately, Ankara continues military-technical cooperation with the Kyiv regime. The Ukrainian armed forces are using Turkish weapons to kill Russian soldiers and civilians, which is puzzling in light of the Turkish leadership’s statements about its readiness to offer mediation services. “, he said.

At the same time, he noted that Russia appreciates Turkey’s mediation efforts.

“We appreciate Turkey’s efforts to help resolve the Ukrainian crisis. The Turkish government played a decisive role by offering an Istanbul platform for consultations with Kyiv representatives in the spring of 2022 and facilitating the conclusion of a grain deal. However, the Istanbul negotiations were ultimately undermined by the Anglo-Saxons, who prevented Vladimir Zelensky from reaching agreements that could stop the fighting and balance the interests of all parties involved,” said the head of the Russian diplomat.

“Russia is open to reaching a political settlement, but this should lead to more than just a temporary ceasefire; it must lead to a resolution of the conflict by eliminating its root causes. These include NATO’s expansion to the east and the creation of threats to Russia’s vital security. interests, as well as the Kyiv regime’s infringement of the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine,” he added.