Lavrov calls legal guarantees a condition for resolving the conflict in Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine should be settled on the basis of reliable legal guarantees, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on 22 January.
"We particularly emphasized that we can only talk about reliable, legally binding agreements, which should enshrine a mechanism for the impossibility of their violation," he said at a press conference following talks with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubayev.
According to Lavrov, the Russian side familiarized its colleagues with the latest developments around the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. At the same time, Moscow's commitment to achieving the goals of the special operation and eliminating the root causes of the crisis was emphasized.
The understanding that without this, the conflict will not end is growing, including in Europe and in the United States, the minister noted.
Earlier, on January 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow is open to a dialog with the new administration of US President Donald Trump on the Ukrainian conflict. At the same time, the goal of the settlement is not a brief truce, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of people, he emphasized.
In turn, Trump, after the inauguration held on the same day, again said that he plans to meet with Putin as soon as possible and discuss the situation in Ukraine. The new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict the Republican's priority.
The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which was announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the background of the aggravated situation in the region.
