Sergey Lavrov announced the condition for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine

^{Photo: Anadolu}
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the country will stop fighting in Ukraine only if the talks on a peaceful solution produce a firm and stable result acceptable to Moscow.

He stressed that Russia will not accept the option of "immediate reconciliation" and a ceasefire on the front line without concrete agreements.

"I can only confirm our position, because it has not changed, unlike the position of the person you mentioned. Zelensky changes his mind more often than the green shirts. It is also difficult to understand the position of European countries, because their views are also quite unstable. Against this background, the US position stands out. It is consistently stated, it does not encourage us to immediately reconcile, leave a dividing line and think about what to do next. We have always emphasized that such an option does not satisfy us," Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that Russia is ready to hold talks with any representatives who want to help achieve peace in a spirit of goodwill, both with Ukraine and with Europe. Lavrov once again recalled that, from Russia's point of view, the Istanbul agreements, developed at the Kiev and Moscow meetings in the spring of 2022, could serve as a basis for negotiations on Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin had previously set the conditions for the cessation of hostilities as the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from the DPR and LPR, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, as well as Ukraine's refusal to join NATO. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the plan of US President Donald Trump, who seeks to end the hostilities, is still unclear. Ukraine, in turn, is adamant about receiving security guarantees from its allies.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke at a press conference about the prospects for ending the war and concluding a truce with Russia, negotiations with the United States, relations with Trump, and the elections in Ukraine.

^{Photo: Reuters}
In an interview with journalists, Zelensky said that he was ready to leave the presidency if necessary to establish peace in Ukraine.

If Ukraine needs it for peace, if it is very important to you, I am ready to leave my post. If such a condition is immediately imposed, I can exchange it for NATO membership, he answered the journalist's question. Follow “Zamin” news on “Telegram”