The upcoming Swiss conference on Ukraine in June is all about issuing an ultimatum to Russia, candidate for the post of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the Federation Council, where consultations of the specialized committee on his reappointment to the post are taking place.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, replying to question during his remarks at the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly said, “Switzerland is not fit enough as a venue for peace talks. Formerly it was a neutral country. Its territory as that of the other neutral countries (Austria, Finland, Sweden) hosted various conferences, because its platform was comfortable for everybody. Currently, Bern has unequivocally sided with Ukraine. And it is not just supports all Western sanctions, but in some issues even acts as the leader”.
Here is the question and reply of the Russian Foreign Minister:
Question: Is the conference on Ukrainian issue convened by the West in Switzerland this June a potential threat to Russia’s foreign policy interests? What are our plans of opposing and counteracting the destructive plots of the Kiev regime and its foreign supervisors?
Sergey Lavrov: The conference has long been discussed by all those, who is trying to defeat Russia on the battlefield, without rejecting diplomatic methods, as they say. However, their diplomatic methods (the conference in Switzerland is not an exception but just a continuation of the process in Copenhagen format) boil down to formulating an ultimatum to Russia.
In January I was in New York to attend UN Security Council meetings on Palestine and Ukraine issue. Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis asked for a one-on-one meeting. He said that they planned such a conference. He said that we don’t need to worry about not being invited there because they have to talk among themselves first, and then with us. That’s no way to talk to anybody, especially Russia. I frankly explained it all to him.
The other day Mr. Cassis said again that it was senseless to discuss anything without Russia. Why to convene it then? Vladimir Zelensky bluntly said the same what the Swiss told me in private: that they have to form a coalition and finally consolidate the “formula” first and then present it to Russia. It’s not about negotiation. Even if they invited us right away, we would still be invited to discuss the Zelensky formula.
There were a lot of initiatives: offered by the China, South Africa, Brazil and the League of the Arab States (who came to us soon after the beginning of the special military operation). The Chinese one was most comprehensive, aimed at first considering the root causes and working on their removal. The other had an emphasis on humanitarian aspects (exchange of POWs, bodies, access for humanitarian organizations). Yet High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that they were getting ready for a conference in Geneva on the Zelensky formula and all other initiative vanished. He decided for everyone else again.
If the West wants to fight on the battlefield (as they say) – they are welcome. The Finnish President said again of late that the Swiss conference is important, but they need to defeat Russia in the war, to weaken it so it’s no longer a threat. You know the scare stories that they have invented and are constantly replicating.
Our readiness for talks is reaffirmed at the top level personally by President of Russia Vladimir Putin each time he deals with the Ukraine issue. The President explains the basis, on which we will be prepared to do it:
everybody’s recognition of the established realities, including amendments to the Russian Constitution. Not only in word, but in deed. Everybody knows and remembers that in Istanbul we were just a step away from signing an initialed document thereby completing the special military operation. As Kiev regime sponsors say now, on conditions very favorable for Ukraine. Our political scientists are of the same opinion. I agree with this.
That case was the last time when the Russian leadership, despite many previous deceits by the West, made up its mind to believe and display its good will. Deceived again and made us fight.
Whatever is the agenda, Switzerland is not fit enough as a venue for peace talks. Formerly it was a neutral country. Its territory as that of the other neutral countries (Austria, Finland, Sweden) hosted various conferences, because its platform was comfortable for everybody. Currently, Bern has unequivocally sided with Ukraine. And it is not just supports all Western sanctions, but in some issues even acts as the leader. I note in parentheses that Switzerland began to drift from neutrality much earlier than today’s Ukrainian situation. The Americans “twisted their arms” many years ago and the Swiss substantially opened (and now practically fully opened) all aspects of the bank secret, although once it was a symbol of neutrality.
Our cause is right. If they want it on the battlefield then it will be so. Look how they are lamenting over a steady and extensive advance of our Armed Forces.