Ukraine: Russia reiterates openness to “serious proposals” from the West and Kiev

Russia reiterated today its openness to discuss “serious proposals” from the West and Kiev for a political-diplomatic resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, but stressed that it will not tolerate ultimatums.

“We have declared more than once that we are open to serious proposals from the West and Ukraine for a political-diplomatic resolution of the crisis, but for us the language of ultimatums is intolerable,” said Russian diplomacy spokesperson Maria Zakharova. , in a comment posted on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Maria Zakharova stressed that, in order to achieve a stable peace, it is necessary to achieve “the cessation of shipments of weapons and mercenaries to Ukraine, the end of military actions and the return of Ukraine to the status of a neutral country, outside the blocs”.

The spokeswoman also insisted on “international recognition of the new territorial realities”, referring to the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and four other Ukrainian regions during the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

He added that Ukraine must be demilitarized and denazified, goals set by Russian President Vladimir Putin when he launched his military campaign in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Zakharova also stressed that all threats emanating from the territory of Ukraine must be eliminated and that Ukraine must ratify its non-nuclear status and guarantee the rights of the Russian-speaking population and ethnic minorities.

“An inalienable part (of a possible agreement) must be the lifting of all illegal sanctions and legal proceedings against Russia filed in international courts”, he underlined.

On Friday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin as “allegedly responsible” for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children and their transfer from occupied areas in Ukraine to Russia, which constitutes a war crime. under the court’s treaty, the Rome Statute.

The arrest warrant against the Kremlin chief was described as “legally null and void” by Russia, as the country does not recognize the ICC’s legitimacy.