Moscow views mediation offers from Turkey and Israel to resolve the crisis in Ukraine positively, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday.
Speaking in an interview with the Russian RBC TV Channel, Lavrov mentioned his latest meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, saying that during the whole meeting, which lasted an hour and a half, Kuleba only repeated the public statements he had made before.
During the meeting – held in the presence of Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu – Lavrov said that, despite issuing several reminders that he wanted to hear what was not heard in public, Kuleba "did not put forward any new ideas."
He stressed that high-level meetings are organized to address difficult issues that cannot be overcome otherwise.
Lavrov also said the meetings in Belarus are currently the most effective and that the negotiators are close to signing an agreement. He expressed hope that Kyiv will not change its position at the last moment.
Asked about the mediation efforts by some countries, the diplomat said France, Israel, Switzerland and Turkey have offered mediation.
"Proposals from those countries that do not play a Russophobic game, understand the root causes of the current crisis, understand that we are talking about the fundamental national interests – the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation – and that do not join this war, of course, we consider these proposals positively," Lavrov said.
He noted that Israel and Turkey did not join anti-Russian sanctions and so Russia views their efforts favorably.
Çavuşoğlu is set to hold talks in Russia on Wednesday and Ukraine on Thursday as Ankara facilitates cease-fire talks between the two warring sides, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Tuesday.
"We are sending our foreign minister to Russia today. He will hold talks in Moscow tomorrow. He will travel to Ukraine on Thursday," Erdoğan told journalists after a cabinet meeting.
"(Çavuşoğlu) will continue our efforts to achieve a cease-fire and peace through talks with both sides," the president said.
Turkey has been one of the countries leading efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has affected millions of civilians. Turkey says it can facilitate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, but says that a cease-fire and humanitarian corridors are needed first.
Last week, the Turkish resort city of Antalya hosted the first talks between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba since the start of Russia's invasion. The talks were largely inconclusive, but Turkey touted as a success the fact that they took place at all.
Maintaining its neutral and balanced stance, Turkey continues its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict, urging all sides to exercise restraint. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed its straits to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing the Turkish Straits.
NATO ally Turkey borders Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. Since the beginning of the conflict, Ankara has offered to mediate between the two sides and host peace talks, underlining its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Having recently called Russia’s invasion an unacceptable violation of international law, Turkey has carefully formulated its rhetoric not to offend Moscow, with which it has close energy, defense and tourism ties.
Ukraine said on Sunday it was working with Turkey and Israel as mediators to set a place and framework for talks with Russia, after Turkey hosted the foreign ministers of the warring nations for the first high-level talks last week.
