Russia will not agree to a cessation of hostilities until the «root causes of the conflict» are resolved. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, commenting on US calls for an immediate ceasefire.
Lavrov's statement
During the briefing, the Russian foreign minister stressed that Russia would not agree to a truce until the «root causes of the conflict» were eliminated.
«We will not agree to a ceasefire without addressing the root causes of the conflict,» Lavrov said.
He did not specify what exactly Russia considers to be the «root causes», but in previous statements, the Kremlin has repeatedly demanded that Russia's «security interests» be taken into account.
Reaction of the United States and the international community
Lavrov's statement came in response to recent calls from Washington for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the start of negotiations. American diplomats have stressed that it was Russia that unleashed the war against Ukraine, and therefore the Kremlin is responsible for its continuation.
The White House noted that any ceasefire without the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine is unacceptable and will only «freeze» the conflict.
Context.
Such statements by Russian officials come after a series of high-level diplomatic contacts, where the topic of a possible end to the war has been actively discussed. At the same time, Ukraine has repeatedly stressed that no truce can be achieved without the restoration of its territorial integrity.
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