Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting of President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates December 6, 2023. Sputnik/Sergei Savostyanov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Asked about peace talks, Russia's Lavrov says: Ask Ukraine
MOSCOW, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday that the West was trying to exhaust Russia in Ukraine and that if peace talks were to take place then Kyiv would have to change its own presidential decree.
"It is up to the Ukrainians to recognise how deep they are in the hole where the Americans put them," Lavrov said of the war.
When asked what the chances were of diplomacy to bring about a ceasefire or peace, he said: "You'll have to call Mr (President Volodymyr) Zelenskiy because a year and half ago he signed a decree prohibiting any negotiations with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge Editing by David Goodman