Russia Does Not Give Up on Its Desire to Resolve the Ukrainian Crisis, but Kiev Is Not in a Position to Set Terms.
This Was Stated by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova in an Interview with the Indian News Portal Firstpost, Cited by TASS.
"Russia Has Always Been Ready for a Quick Resolution of the Conflict Through Diplomatic Means. But the Settlement Cannot Be a One-sided Game at the Expense of Our Country's Interests. Moreover, Kiev, together with its Western partners, is not in a position to dictate any conditions to us," she said.
Moscow has no illusions about negotiations with Washington on Ukraine, but continues the dialogue.
"Striving to develop real compromise solutions, we are currently maintaining a political dialogue with the United States. We do not have high expectations. At the same time, the current administration in Washington is at least ready to listen and recognize Russia's vital interests on its borders. It was this approach that allowed Russian and American leaders to reach a mutual understanding in Alaska on ways to resolve the conflict, which is commonly called the "spirit of Anchorage," she said.
Zakharova stressed that a sustainable resolution of the crisis around Ukraine is possible only by addressing its root causes.
"Ukraine must return to the foundations of its statehood - its non-aligned, neutral and non-nuclear-weapon statehood. It was in this capacity that it was recognized as an independent state by Russia and other members of the international community," she added. "Of course, the settlement will have prospects only if it guarantees the elimination of violations of the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population and the persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church."
"It is also important to take a sober look at geopolitical realities: to recognize Russian ownership of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya, to ensure that our legitimate concerns are taken into account, and to restore the balance of security in Europe and the world, the diplomat stressed. We need legally binding agreements and mechanisms to ensure that the crisis does not resume."