Ambassador: Russia ready for peace deal with Ukraine

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergey Tolchenov, stated that Russia has always been ready for a peace deal with Ukraine. “Since the very beginning, starting in 2022, we have said that we are ready for a peace deal,” Tolchenov said during a press briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday. Tolchenov explained that in 2022, Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace agreement initiated by two negotiating teams, adding that Russia was waiting for the signing of the agreement. However, he continued, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson persuaded Ukraine to continue the war, so the signing of the peace deal did not take place. “We are ready to continue discussions based on the agreements that were reached. Recently, President Putin mentioned that he is ready to meet Zelenskyy if Zelenskyy comes to Moscow. So, this is not a problem,” he said. The Russian ambassador stressed that Russia wants to achieve a comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable agreement that will consider all of Russia’s national interests. “This includes no NATO bases on Ukrainian territory, Ukraine’s non-nuclear and non-bloc status, and respect for the human rights of national minorities in Ukraine, including Russian-speaking citizens and Russian citizens in Ukrainian territory,” he explained. In addition, the peace agreement must also cover various important issues, including territorial matters that are already clear for Russia, such as Crimea, Kherson, Donetsk, Lugansk, and Zaporozhye, he said. He emphasised that all these matters need to be included in a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, and stated Russia’s readiness for dialogue in any form.