War to continue, even if Ukraine drops NATO hopes: Medvedev
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Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reveals that Moscow is willing to hold talks with the Ukrainian President under certain conditions.
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Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, on Friday, that Moscow would not end its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kiev formally renounced its NATO ambitions.
Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, also stated on French television that Russia was willing to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky under certain conditions.
Even before Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Moscow clearly stated that Ukrainian membership in NATO was unacceptable.
"Renouncing its participation in the North Atlantic alliance is now vital, but it is already insufficient in order to establish peace," Medvedev said as quoted by LCI television.
He stated that Russia would continue the campaign until its objectives were met. It is worth noting that the Russian President has constantly stated Moscow’s plan to "denazify" Ukraine.
After February 24, Russia held several rounds of talks with Ukraine to end the war, however, no progress was made.
"This (talks) will depend on how events unfold. We were ready before to meet (Zelenskiy)," Medvedev said.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he said US lethal weapons already supplied to Ukraine, such as HIMARS multiple-rocket launchers, do not yet pose a significant threat.
That could change, he says, if US-supplied weapons can hit targets at greater distances.
"It means that when this sort of missile flies 70 km, that is one thing," he added. "But when it's 300-400 km, that is another, now that would be a threat directly to the territory of the Russian Federation."
