Kuleba has no high expectations about talks with Lavrov, promises to squeeze maximum out
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said that he does not place too high expectations on negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on March 10 in Antalya, but promises to squeeze the maximum in the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
"We are getting ready for negotiations with my Russian colleague, Minister Lavrov. Tomorrow they will take place. We are working very seriously now in order to carry them out as efficiently as possible. But frankly, I will tell you that my expectations from the talks are restrained. I do not place any high expectations on them, but, of course, we will squeeze the maximum out," Kuleba said live on Facebook on Wednesday.
He stressed that the interest of Ukraine is a ceasefire, liberation of the Ukrainian territories and the solution to all humanitarian disasters created by the Russian army.
Kuleba noted that thanks to the actions of the Ukrainian defense forces and their heroism, the inviolability of a position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the general coordinated actions of Ukraine with partners in imposing sanctions, supporting Ukraine's defense and isolating Russia, he goes to negotiations with Lavrov with a strong position.
"We are strong, self-confident, we will squeeze the maximum in the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. What we will get as a result is another question, depends, among other things, on the instructions and directives with which Mr. Lavrov is going to these talks. I hope that he will approach these negotiations in good faith, not from a propagandist perspective, but with a task of finding a solution to how to end this war unleashed by Russia," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.