Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has indicated that Moscow is prepared for discussions concerning Ukraine, provided they take into account the situation on the ground and Russia's security interests.
This statement was made during an interview with the state news agency TASS.
Addressing the "Hostile nazi regime"
Lavrov emphasized the need to counter a "hostile Nazi regime near Russia's borders," which openly declares its aim to eliminate all things Russian in Crimea and Novorossiya.
He added that he currently sees no serious proposals from the West to end the war in Ukraine.
Skepticism from ukrainian figures
Former world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, brother of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, expressed skepticism about the possibility of peace talks with Russia.
"Who would these talks be with? Putin? Lavrov? Who?" questioned the former athlete.
A speech by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu has been noted by Ukrainian media, particularly his words about "achieving planned objectives" by 2025. According to the Kyiv Post, this suggests that Moscow intends to continue its invasion of Ukraine for at least two more years.
Initially, Russia aimed to occupy Ukraine in 10 days and complete the annexation of its territories by last August. This plan required strict secrecy, resulting in Russian forces being tactically unprepared for effective task execution, according to a report by the prestigious British think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published in June.
