Vatican out, Turkey in: Russia eyes next peace talks with Ukraine
Sergey Lavrov expressed doubts about organizing peace talks at the Vatican, emphasizing the Orthodox roots of Russia and Ukraine. Another round of negotiations with Ukraine is planned, but details remain unknown.
Key information
- Sergey Lavrov believes that the Vatican is not a suitable place for peace talks.
- Russia is preparing for another round of negotiations with Ukraine.
- Moscow maintains its previous demands on Ukraine.
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed his reservations about organizing peace talks at the Vatican. "It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to discuss on Catholic ground issues related to eliminating root causes (of the conflict)," Lavrov stated.
Lavrov indicated that Russia is preparing for another round of talks with Ukraine, although he did not reveal where or when they would occur. He added that work on a memorandum for future negotiations is already at an "advanced level." Russia still maintains its position that it will not allow Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine to remain under the rule of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Lavrov's statements suggest that Russia is not changing its demands on Ukraine that have been in place since the beginning of the invasion. Moscow accuses Kyiv of discriminating against Russian-speaking people, which Ukraine strongly denies. Reuters emphasizes that Russia will continue the same demands during future peace talks.
The Vatican not involved in negotiations
According to Bloomberg, the Kremlin is not interested in involving the Vatican in peace talks with Ukraine. Russia believes that Turkey is the best place for further negotiations. This position underscores that Moscow does not see the Vatican as a neutral player in this conflict.
Although details about future talks remain unknown, Russia seems determined to continue negotiations on its terms. The choice of location and format for the talks will be crucial for the further course of the conflict.
