Peace talks in Ukraine will only be possible if their goal is to build a new world order without US hegemony. According to the AFP office, this was stated by the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, during a visit to Ankara this Friday. His Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoglu, expressed concern that the fighting in Ukraine would escalate in the spring.
“Negotiations can only be carried out taking into account Russia’s interests,” Lavrov said after meeting with Çavuşoğlu. “The new world order will be based on these principles,” added the Russian foreign minister.
Çavuşoğlu stated that Türkiye will continue efforts to end the war through negotiations. In the context of news about Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive, he also expressed concern that the fighting in Ukraine would escalate, Reuters reported.
Lavrov also threatened in Ankara that Moscow would stop following the deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports if the West continued to block Russian fertilizer and food exports. According to him, grain and fertilizer exports from Russia were limited because they did not have access to insurance and an adequate SWIFT payment system. Lavrov then called on European countries that had a surplus of Ukrainian grain to donate some of this grain to poor countries.
Türkiye is a member NATO, in the war for more than 13 months in Ukraine, played the role of mediator between Kyiv and Moscow. The so-called grain agreement, which is Ankara and Union of Nations brokered with Russia and Ukraine last July, aimed at fighting the global food crisis. This was exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February and Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. In March, Moscow announced its extension for another 60 days, although Ankara and Kyiv had pressed for a 120-day extension.
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