Vladimir Putin's foreign minister says Russia is ready to negotiate with the West

Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat invited the West to negotiate an end to the fighting in Ukraine if two crucial conditions are met, Newsweek reports.

A conditioned end to the Ukraine War

Sergei Lavrov was interviewed by the Russian state televisionRia Novosti where he signalled his country’s readiness to open a negotiation with western powers to bring an end to the fighting in Ukraine.

Russia is always ready to listen to our Western colleagues if they make another request to organize a conversation

According to Lavrov, two conditionsneed to be met. First, the West would have to take into account the interests of the Russian Federation including its security, which means the expansion of NATOneeds to stop and Ukraine’s neutrality must be confirmed.

Second, Lavrov said, without going into much detail, the West would have to come up with a serious proposal to defuse tensions.

If we are approached with realistic proposals based on the principles of equality and mutual respect of interests, aimed at finding compromises and a balance of interests of all countries in this region, we will not be the case, as it has always been in the past.

On the same day, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov was cited by TASS, saying that any negotiation talks would first require the participation of the US.

Obviously, Washington has a deciding vote. It is impossible to discuss anything, say. With Kiev.

The US Government says Lavrov's comments are ‘posturing’

The comments of Russian authorities regarding potential negotiation talks come after a series of military blunders on their side. The call for negotiations is only occurring because of conceding swathes of land back to the Ukrainians, which areadvancing quickly in their counter-offensive to take back remaining Russian-held territories, Newsweek reports.

Meanwhile, the US Governmentdismissed Russia’s intentions for peace talks, during a time when Russian missile strikes are still killing civilians in Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Ned Price, the US State Department spokesman, said he has ‘very little confidence’ about Russia’s offer for legitimate talks.

We see this as posturing. We do not see this as a constructive, legitimate offer to engage in the dialogue and diplomacy that is absolutely necessary to see an end to this brutal war of aggression.

Price also added that negotiation talks need to take place exclusively between Ukraine and Russia.

Sources used:

-Newsweek: ‘Russia Would Agree to Talks to End Ukraine War on These Conditions: Kremlin’

-Tass: ‘Talks on Ukraine should be held first of all with Washington — Kremlin spokesman’

-Reuters: ‘Lavrov says Russia open to talks with West, U.S. dismisses comments as 'posturing’’