Lavrov: Russia ready to fight West on battlefield

At consultations in the Federation Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that if the West plans to fight on the battlefield over the situation around Ukraine, Russia is ready for it.

Lavrov arrived at the Council of Federation where the profile committee will hold consultations on his reappointment as foreign minister, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media. 

"It is their right, if they want on the battlefield, it will be on the battlefield," he emphasised.

According to him, the planned conference on Ukraine in Switzerland in mid-June, to which Russia has not been invited, is just an ultimatum to the Russian side. Even if Moscow's representatives were invited, the event would still discuss only Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's so-called peace formula, he added.

The diplomat also noted that the Russian Federation has repeatedly advocated holding negotiations. However, this requires taking into account the real state of affairs, he added.