Any Ukraine peace talks should focus on creating "new world order": Lavrov
Apr 08, 2023
Ankara [Turkey], April 8 : Moscow wants Ukraine peace talks to focus on creating a "new world order," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a visit to Turkey on Friday, reported The Moscow Times.
"Any negotiation needs to be based on taking into account Russian interests, Russian concerns. It should be about the principles on which the new world order will be based," said Lavrov.
He was in Turkey, which has retained ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, reported The Moscow Times.
Lavrov added that Russia rejects a "unipolar world order led by 'one hegemon'."
Russia has long said it was leading a struggle against the United State's dominance over the international stage, and argues the Ukraine offensive is part of that fight.
The Kremlin this week said it had no choice but to continue its more than year-long offensive in Ukraine, seeing no diplomatic solution.
The top Russian diplomat also threatened to abandon a landmark grain deal, which Turkey helped broker, if obstacles to Russian exports remain, reported The Moscow Times.
Last July, Turkey, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports after they were paused due to Russia's war on Ukraine, which had threatened a world food crisis.
The beginning of the offensive saw rising fears of a global food crisis as Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of grain and other agricultural products.
Lavrov however said Russia may pull out of the landmark deal that allowed vital exports to leave blocked ports in the Black Sea.
"If there is no further progress in removing barriers to the export of Russian fertilisers and grain, we will think about whether this deal is necessary," Lavrov said.
On the eve of the visit, Moscow said it extended the agreement "as a gesture of goodwill for another 60 days".
Russia has repeatedly threatened to abandon the agreement that has allowed the export of more than 25 million tons of grain, reported The Moscow Times.
Moscow has been complaining that its side of the agreement, promising the right to export fertiliser free from Western sanctions, is not respected.
