No concessions from Russia, dialogue with US: statements by Russian senior diplomat

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov
Photo: TASS

Sergey Ryabkov reiterated that Russia "stands firm" on the understandings reached during the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Anchorage. Russia will not make any concessions regarding Donbass, Novorossiya and Crimea, this is out of the question, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with ABC News.

He also noted that Washington is demonstrating a "sober" approach in its relations with Moscow.

TASS has compiled the key statements by the Russian senior diplomat.

About negotiations on Ukraine

Russia is "appreciative" of the efforts being taken by the Trump administration toward a settlement in Ukraine and seeks to put an end to the conflict: "We want to finish this on the premise that is sufficient to sides that are involved."

Moscow does not yet understand the outcome of the negotiations between the Ukrainian, American, and European delegations at the Berlin meeting on the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict: "We have no idea what transpires there."

Russia "stands firm" on the understandings reached during the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Anchorage.

Washington is demonstrating a "sober" approach in its relations with Moscow: "I think it is a sober, and, if you wish, a cool environment where people listen to one another, stick their heads together in order to try to find a way forward."

On inadmissibility of concessions

Kiev and its European partners expect a "deep and very wrong" revision of the US peace proposal.

Russia will not make any concessions regarding Donbass, Novorossiya, and Crimea: "We are not able in any form to compromise on this, because it would be, in our view, a revision of a very fundamental element of our statehood, set forth through our constitution."

Moscow will under no circumstances consent to the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine in any form, including within the NATO framework: "We are open-minded in terms of what decisions might be made. We definitely will not at any time subscribe to, agree to, or even be content with, any presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian territory."

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