Lavrov: No alternative to negotiations in Belarus
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Following their talks, described as "not east", in Antalya, Turkey, Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers make statements on their stances.
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The meeting between Russia and Ukraine was mediated by Turkey
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Thursday that nationalists in Ukraine are using civilians as human shields, stressing that the Mariupol children's hospital was being used as a base by Ukrainian nationalists.
During a press conference, Lavrov said that Moscow informed Kiev during the negotiations in Belarus of its vision of the solution and is awaiting a reply.
He also noted that Moscow is in favor of all communications that help in resolving the Ukraine crisis and added that there are no alternatives to the negotiations with Ukraine in Belarus.
Lawrow: Wir sind nicht hier um Parallel-Verhandlungen zu führen. Verhandlungen finden in Belarus statt. (Klingt nicht so, als ob es zu Ergebnissen bei Gespräch Kuleba/Lawrow/Cavusoglu in #Antalya gekommen ist) #Türkei #Russland #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/3Hb3tfbx4a
— oliver mayer-rüth (@oliverreporter) March 10, 2022
Lavrov further said that the military operation in Ukraine only took place after the matter constituted a direct threat to Russia's security, stressing that the West's influx of weapons into Ukraine will only lead to an escalation.
He noted that the operation is proceeding as planned, warning that the West is behaving dangerously and that these actions show the threat Russia is facing.
Russia's Foreign Minister also revealed that Ukraine was planning to launch an attack on Donetsk and Lugansk and confirmed that there are biological laboratories operating in secret from the people of Ukraine and the international community.
Moreover, he warned those supplying Ukraine with weapons and mercenaries, saying they must understand the severity of their actions, adding that Moscow wants Ukraine to be a neutral, deweaponized country that represents no threat to Russia. He stressed, "We do not want a Nazi state at our borders."
As for the crisis, Lavrov expressed his belief that Russia will get through it with a clearer outlook to the world, asking, "How can we allow NATO to decide on matters of our own security?"
Kuleba: Russia will continue its attack until Ukraine satisfies its demands
Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, for his part, said Lavrov's list of demands means surrender and added that Russia is in no position to announce a ceasefire.
He stressed that Lavrov's talk denotes that Russia will continue its attack until Ukraine satisfies its demands, adding that the meeting with Lavrov was not easy, and there was no progress in achieving a ceasefire.
The foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine arrived in Turkey for talks on reaching a ceasefire. This marks the first high-level contact between the two sides since the beginning of Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine.
Officials from Kiev and Moscow have met in Belarus on several occasions, but the meeting in Antalya, Turkey, was the first time Russia dispatched a minister to resolve the crisis.
