Sergey Lavrov blames the West and its allies for Russia’s Ukraine invasion

• Sergey Lavrov says the West and its allies provoked Russia’s actions in Ukraine, not the other way around.
• Lavrov says he has spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron, who wants to keep talking to Putin.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that he had not completely ruled out peace talks with his counterpart in Moscow.

The West and its allies provoked Russia’s actions in Ukraine, not the other way around, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who used a familiar justification for Moscow’s invasion.

“The more they [the West and its allies] talk about unprovoked aggression, the more everyone believes it was provoked by them,” Lavrov said on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday.

“And it’s not aggression; it’s an operation to defend the legitimate interests of Russian security because of threats on Russia’s borders and to protect the Russian people in Donbas,” he added, using a common Kremlin propaganda line.

Lavrov also said that NATO and the European Union were getting in the way of the war in Ukraine.

“I believe NATO and the European Union have long been participants in a hybrid war in Ukraine, hybrid conflict with their arms supplies and training servicemen, and helping with a large amount of intelligence, helping with targeting,” he said.

Despite his criticism of the West, Lavrov told reporters that he had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron, who told him that the French leader wanted to keep talking to the Russian president.

“I spoke with President Macron, and he confirmed his intention to maintain contacts with President (Vladimir) Putin in order to seek agreements that will allow a resolution to the situation,” Lavrov said.

“I reminded him, as I previously stated, that all of the problems are on the Ukrainian side, due to their categorical refusal to engage in any negotiations.” “He continued. “They are presenting conditions that are clearly unrealistic and incompatible with the situation.”

In October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree formally ruling out any talks with Putin. It was dated the day Putin announced his intention to annex Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, in violation of international law.

However, Zelensky told CNN’s Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour last week that he had not completely ruled out peace talks with his counterpart in Moscow.

“I haven’t shut the door yet.” I stated that we would be willing to talk to Russia, but with a different Russia. One who is truly prepared for peace. One who is willing to admit that they are occupants… Everything must be returned. Land, rights, liberty, and money Most importantly, there must be justice.

“And I haven’t heard anything like that from the Russian Federation — from Putin or anyone else.”

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