MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West on Monday of wanting a ceasefire in Ukraine so they could arm Kiev with advanced weapons.
Talks of a ceasefire or peace deal in the three-year-old conflict have emerged since Donald Trump’s victory in last month’s US presidential election. Lavrov said during a meeting in Moscow with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter, that the West was “starting to talk about a ceasefire as a means of giving Ukraine a reprieve, and re-aligning itself with Ukraine.” It provides an opportunity to equip with advanced long-range weapons.” Szijjarto.
“Of course this is not the path to peace,” he added. Lavrov was speaking as German Chancellor Olaf Schulz made a surprise visit to Kiev, where he held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Schulz became the first major Western leader to hold direct talks with Russian President Putin in more than a year, urging the Kremlin to remain open to a deal with Kiev.