Russia is waiting for Europeans to stop lying that Moscow is refusing to engage in talks on Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference as he wrapped up his trip to Qatar.
He also said the issue of frozen Russian assets will not disappear from the Ukraine settlement agenda.
According to the minister, Russian and US diplomats are set to meet in Istanbul on February 27 to discuss the work of the two countries' embassies.
TASS has put together key statements by Lavrov.
Talks with the US
On February 27, Russian and American diplomats will meet in Istanbul to discuss problems in the work of the two countries’ embassies, which stacked up as a result of "illegal activities" of the previous US administration, which Moscow had to reciprocate by creating "uncomfortable conditions" for the work of the US embassy. The meeting in Istanbul will make it clear "how fast and efficiently the sides can move forward."
The issue of frozen Russian assets is unrelated to the operation of the embassies. It will not disappear from the agenda of settling the conflict in Ukraine.
"As for our assets, which have been stolen primarily by Europeans, no, you know, there has been no talk about it. But I have no doubts that this issue will not disappear as part of the settlement.
Rare earth metals
When Russia and the US met in Riyadh, they didn’t discuss cooperation in rare earth metals, but the sides said "it is necessary to remove contrived obstacles to the development of mutually beneficial economic and other ties."
Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to foreign investors to work together on rare earth metals implies "the entire territory of the Russian Federation in full compliance with its Constitution," including the new regions.
Ukrainian conflict
Russia is waiting for Europeans to stop "lying that Russia blocks negotiations." Europe is advancing a "hopelessly outdated and failed" policy on Ukraine and is pushing Kiev to continue fighting.
"When the political balance of power regarding Ukraine changes, as was evident in the United Nations vote, Europe immediately tries to undermine this trend, announcing new large military aid packages to Kiev, pushing it to continue fighting, and openly stating, as I think the Danish prime minister did, that peace is worse than war for Ukraine in this situation."
Moscow believes that "the best aid from those who sincerely want to help resolve the conflict is to come to realize what caused it."
Russia is not considering any options that involve a deployment of European peacekeepers in Ukraine.
"The approach that is being imposed by the Europeans, first of all France and the British, is aimed <…> at heating up the conflict further and stopping any attempts to calm it down."
"Tricks" like a deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine will not do it. It is needed to look at the root causes of the conflict.
One of the reasons, "which the West has been downplaying and now continues to play down," is the Kiev regime's policy to pass laws "to exterminate all things Russian: education, news media and culture."
Whatever "remains of Ukraine should be freed from racist laws."
"There are people living there that are more comfortable speaking Russian, that want to preserve the traditions of their ancestors, who were brought up in Russian culture."
Syria
Russia is interested in making sure that Syria is not plunged into infighting. "Such risks remain."
The Europeans suggested easing sanctions against Syria on the condition of "throwing out" Russia. This is the mentality that has characterized Europe in recent times: You are either with us, or against us.
Syria no longer wants to be a ground for external players to solve their geopolitical problems.
The separatist ideas that were nurtured in Syria for years under the previous US administration, including by the Kurds, are strongly unacceptable to all countries in the Middle East and could "lead to a major war in the region."
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Russia and Qatar are concerned about the actions of the Israeli military that are not stipulated by the agreements with Hamas and Lebanon and that "create facts on the ground that are contrary to the agreements and contrary to the UN Security Council resolutions on both Palestinian affairs and the Lebanese problem."
Resettling the Palestinians across the region "will only plant a ticking time bomb."
Germany’s Merz
Christian Democratic Union Chairman Friedrich Merz, a candidate for German chancellor, has a "peculiar" approach to Russia.
"He, for example, unlike [Chancellor Olaf] Scholz, insisted on sending long-range Taurus missiles to the Ukrainians for deeper attacks into the territory of the Russian Federation. When Germans actively nurture such ideas, it certainly brings back memories. It should first of all bring back memories for the Germans themselves."
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
