Russia won't pause hostilities amid talks with Ukraine, says Sergei Lavrov
Lavrov said President Vladimir Putin had ordered to suspend military action during the first round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in late February but that Moscow's position had changed since
File image of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. AP
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with Russia 24, RIA Novosti and TASS reportedly said on Monday, "I see no reason why we cannot continue the negotiations, although the Ukrainian side turns 180 degrees every time, rejecting what it itself proposed a few days ago, for example. But we are patient and persistent people ". He added that Russia does not intend to pause hostilities during the talks with Ukraine, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Lavrov said that President Vladimir Putin had ordered to suspend military action during the first round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in late February but that Moscow's position had changed since.
"After we became convinced that the Ukrainians were not planning to reciprocate, a decision was made that during the next rounds of talks, there would be no pause (in military action) so long as a final agreement is not reached," Lavrov said, according to Reuters.
On the other hand, Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday told US broadcaster NBC he is still open to negotiating with Moscow. "If sitting down with the Russians will help me to prevent at least one massacre like in Bucha, or at least another attack like in Kramatorsk, I have to take that opportunity."
Meanwhile, the failure to win full control of Ukraine’s skies has hampered Moscow’s ability to provide air cover for troops on the ground, limiting their advances and likely exposing them to greater losses.
With their offensive in many parts of the country thwarted, Russian forces have relied increasingly on bombarding cities — a strategy that has left many urban areas flattened and killed thousands of people.
More than 4.5 million Ukrainian refugees have now fled their country, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
With input from agencies
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