Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Russia does not want to “occupy” neighboring Ukraine and will use Ukraine’s military weapons at the call of President Vladimir Putin. After the insertion, Moscow is ready for talks with Ukraine. Lavrov made the remarks after talks with Sergei Persada, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Vladislav Denego, Foreign Minister of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), according to Russia’s state-run news agency Tass.
A day after Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine began, Lavrov said: “No one is going to occupy Ukraine. The objective of the campaign is very clear: demilitarization and liberation from Nazi ideology.”
Russian President Putin signed treaties with the leaders of the DPR and the LPR on February 21, recognizing the “independence” of Ukraine’s two regions. Lavrov has said, “We are ready to negotiate at any time if the Ukrainian military forces follow the call of our president. They end their resistance and lay down their weapons. No one is planning to attack and torture them, let them go back to their families and give the people of Ukraine a chance to decide their future.”
Lavrov told reporters that no one would humiliate them if Ukrainian soldiers returned to their homes with weapons. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said on Friday that President Putin is ready to send a delegation to Belarus to hold talks with Ukrainian officials. The reaction came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was willing to discuss a non-aligned position for Ukraine.
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Russia demands that Ukraine give up its intention to become a member of NATO. Putin ordered a military strike on Ukraine on Thursday amid calls for an end to international sanctions and the crisis. Putin also warned other countries that any attempt to intervene would have “results they would never have seen.”
President Putin announced in a televised address Thursday morning that, in response to a request from the head of the Donbas Republic, he had decided to launch a special military operation to protect those who have been under the “misconduct and abuse” of Ukraine’s regime for eight years. victims of genocide.”
Putin said the Russian military operation was aimed at ensuring the “demilitarization” of Ukraine. Putin also urged Ukrainian soldiers to “immediately lay down arms and return home”. (agency)