Lavrov: Ukraine's neutral status discussed in talks
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Russian Foreign Minister confirms that the discussion of the neutral status of Ukraine is taking place seriously in the Russian-Ukrainian talks, along with Russia's requirements for security guarantees.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are progressing with difficulty, noting that "[Ukraine's] neutral status is now being seriously discussed in conjunction with security guarantees, of course."
"Negotiations are not easy for obvious reasons. However, there is still some hope for a compromise," he said.
Lavrov told Russia's RBC that Moscow might agree on weapons in Ukraine that do not pose a threat to Russia, stressing that "there can be no weapons in Ukraine that pose a threat to Russia. We are ready to coordinate those types of weapons that do not pose a threat to us."
This issue must be settled independently of Kiev's potential NATO membership, because Western nations may currently send attack weapons to Ukraine even if it does not join NATO, according to the Minister.
According to Lavrov, the meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba in Turkey does not replace the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine that began in Belarus, adding that Kiev did not bring in any new ideas at the Antalya meeting.
Days ago, Russia and Ukraine's foreign ministers arrived in Turkey for talks, in the first high-level contact between the two sides since 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, is the first time Russia dispatches a minister to resolve the crisis.
Dialogue between Kiev and Moscow has so far provided several local ceasefires and humanitarian corridors to evacuate residents, however, Ukraine has earlier rejected some of the corridors proposed by Russia.
Moreover, three rounds of talks took place in Belarus between the two to discuss political, humanitarian, and military issues during the talks.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday the possibility of a direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is very likely.
At the same time, Peskov noted that it is necessary to be clear about what is to be discussed and what the possible results will be.
He added that the Russian position has been made clear and that Ukrainian negotiators have been informed of Russian demands, stressing that Moscow awaits Kiev's response.
This is the first trip for Lavrov since Russia was harshly isolated by the Western world with draconian sanctions that have also targeted the President's long-serving top diplomat.
