Zakharova slams Bennett over Ukraine talks, says represents confession

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Feb 21:50
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The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson describes the former Israeli Prime Minister's remarks on early talks between Russia and Ukraine as "another confession".

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Sochi, Russia, on Oct 22, 2021. (AFP)

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who served briefly as a mediator at the start of the war in Ukraine said all of his actions had been agreed upon in detail with the United States, and Germany, in addition to France, confessing "they interrupted the talks."

Bennett emerged as an unlikely intermediary and did little to end the war in its first weeks not to mention that he was the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation. Until today, Bennett’s remarks, in an interview released online late Saturday, shed light on the role of the United States, Germany, and France in aborting any signs of a ceasefire in the early days of Ukraine talks.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented on this issue by describing the Israeli former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's remarks as "another confession".

Zakharova further noted that the former Israeli Prime Minister also said that at some point the West decided "to crush [Russian President Vladimir] Putin rather than to negotiate."

"Yet another confession," Zakharova wrote on Telegram on Sunday.

Bennett recalled his memories of encounters with both sides in his first interview after leaving his job. He said President Putin had provided physical security to his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Bennett claims that after speaking with the Ukrainian President on the phone, he "returned to his office and filmed a video from his office," stating that he was not frightened of anything. Bennett said it was Zelensky who feared for his life and who asked him to bring this up with Putin.

In April 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the successful Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul had been broken down "on the direct direction of the United States and London," which "completely dominates the Zelensky administration."

On his account, Russian politician Leonid Slutrky, who was part of the Russian team in the discussions with Kiev, stated that Zelensky had "clearly received an order from the Washington patrons to impede the negotiations."

In February 2023, Lavrov stressed the West "refused the talks and forced the Kiev regime to withdraw from the negotiating process at the moment when in late March there was a possibility to end it politically."