Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s outspoken Foreign Minister, claims that the upcoming major peace conference on Ukraine, set to be held in Switzerland, is not about peace at all.
With dozens of countries set to attend, the conference promises significant diplomatic engagement.
However, China remains unresponsive to the invitation, and Russia was never invited. Countries from South America, Africa, and the Middle East have confirmed their attendance.
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“A Waste of Time”
Lavrov didn’t mince words when discussing the conference, labeling it a waste of time.
“We can hardly believe that grown people are engaging in this nonsense. They are wasting their time,” he said, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.
Switzerland, known for its neutrality, has received 50 registrations from individual countries, with about half of them from outside Europe, Swiss President Viola Amherd announced on Wednesday. So far, over 160 delegations have signed up, according to NTB.
“Hostile Steps Against Russia”
Diplomatic sources indicate that the talks in Lucerne will primarily focus on reducing the risks posed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, Lavrov sees a different agenda.
“The goal is not to achieve peace. It is rather to turn as many countries as possible against Russia, ensuring further hostile steps against us. Our partners in the global south understand this,” Lavrov thundered.
He pointed to the presence of American-made, long-range ATACMS missiles in Ukraine as evidence that the West is not interested in serious peace talks.
“They want to settle things on the battlefield. And we are ready for that – always,” Lavrov asserted.
