(MENAFN- Live Mint) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized reported proposals from US President-elect Donald Trump's team regarding the Ukraine conflict, calling them unacceptable. Speaking at a news conference on December 30, Lavrov said,“Judging from numerous leaks and Donald Trump's interview with Time magazine on December 12, their idea is to suspend hostilities along the line of contact and transfer responsibility for confrontation with Russia to the Europeans.”
He added,“We are not happy, of course, with the proposals made by members of the trump team to postpone Ukraine's admission to NATO for 20 years and to station British and European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.”
Lavrov warned that such plans are non-starters for Moscow.“We would refuse to accept Ukraine's NATO membership regardless of the territorial factor,” he asserted.
Russia sets conditions for dialogue
Lavrov emphasized that it is up to Trump to take the first step toward renewing dialogue on the conflict.“Even if he tries to relaunch bilateral ties, he will have to swim against the stream,” Lavrov said, referencing bipartisan resistance in the US to easing tensions with Russia .
Ukraine's NATO aspirations a red line
Lavrov reiterated Russia 's firm stance against NATO membership for Ukraine , pointing to longstanding tensions over the alliance's expansion.
“We trust facts, not statements, especially when it comes to the Kiev regime. So far, Kiev has not renounced its objective of restoring what it calls Ukraine's territorial integrity within the 1991 borders and ensuring that Russian troops leave this territory,” Lavrov said.
Describing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 's peace efforts, Lavrov said,“This objective is part of the so-called Zelensky formula. In October, there were meetings to prepare the second peace summit. They want to invite Russia there. As far as we can see, the goal here is to present an ultimatum to Russia. I have explained many times that Russia does not intend to take part in this would-be peace summit, even if we do get an invitation.”
Ukraine's non-aligned status a priority
Highlighting Russia's broader objectives in the conflict, Lavrov stressed the importance of Ukraine adopting a non-aligned status.
“As far as we can judge, there is a lack of unity among NATO members on this matter. In fact, NATO has been expanding its reach for many years, which became one of the primary causes of the Ukraine crisis,” Lavrov noted.
“With this in mind, there is still an imperative to ensure a non-aligned status for Ukraine as part of the goals of the special military operation. Its objectives must be achieved,” he concluded.
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US President-elect Donald Trump , set to take office in three weeks, has expressed confidence in his ability to broker a peace deal to end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours.
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The prospects for a quick resolution remain slim, as both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have ruled out direct negotiations with each other. Their positions on a possible settlement are sharply opposed.
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Putin has insisted that Ukraine must withdraw its forces from four regions-Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporizhzhia-that Russia claims to have annexed. Conversely, Ukraine has steadfastly rejected the idea of ceding any territory to Moscow in exchange for peace.
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