Russia says Europe undermining conditions for Ukraine peace talks

European countries are pursuing policies that obstruct the creation of conditions necessary for negotiations on a lasting settlement to the conflict in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

Zakharova argued that European governments are preventing the emergence of conditions for what she described as a “comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.”

“Europeans are pursuing a course aimed at preventing the creation of conditions for negotiations on a genuinely comprehensive, just, and lasting peace,” she said.

According to Zakharova, European leaders publicly advocate for peace while simultaneously taking steps that contribute to the militarization of both Ukraine and Europe. She also claimed that EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had acknowledged Europe’s desire to take part in future negotiations, effectively as part of a unified Western and Ukrainian delegation opposed to Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry further stated that proposals put forward by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany regarding a settlement in Ukraine contain conditions that Moscow considers unacceptable.

By Vafa Guliyeva