Moscow - Saba:
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the Russian Federation's position on settling the conflict in Ukraine has not changed, and that the priority is to resolve its root causes.
According to Sputnik, Zakharova said, "Our position is firm: Russia gives absolute priority to resolving the root causes of this conflict. It is important for us to obtain clear guarantees regarding Kyiv's secession from NATO and to ensure respect for fundamental rights and freedoms in Ukraine, regardless of language, nationality, or religion."
She stated that the parameters of a settlement in Ukraine were outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a speech he delivered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 14, 2024. She continued: "Two rounds of negotiations have already been held, on May 16 and June 2. Specific agreements were reached in the humanitarian field... We are talking about important exchanges of prisoners of war and detained civilians... Memoranda containing specific proposals for resolving the crisis were exchanged... I think we are moving in the right direction."
In an interview with the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche, she described Kyiv's refusal to receive the bodies of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers as the height of mockery and disrespect for soldiers and officers.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that Russia takes the talks on settling the conflict in Ukraine very seriously.
On June 2, the second round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine was held in Turkey. The meeting lasted for more than an hour at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, during which the two sides exchanged memoranda of understanding on settling the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin requested a report from Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation to the negotiations, on Wednesday, on the results of the second round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations held in Istanbul.