Lavrov on Ukraine talks Past deals and mistrust

Feb 21, 2014

Asked how trust and a path out of the Ukraine conflict can be rebuilt, Lavrov says existing agreements must be implemented. He recounts the February 2014 political settlement, including an Obama–Putin call, then alleges that its opponents immediately seized power with Western approval. He presents Ukraine's language policies and Crimea and Donbas as grievances. He says the Minsk agreements were sabotaged and interprets later European leaders' remarks as admissions of deception. He recounts the December 2019 Normandy summit and accuses Zelensky of refusing the agreed Donbas special-status approach. He says Russia accepted Ukrainian principles presented in Istanbul in early April 2022 and alleges that Boris Johnson helped prevent their implementation. He claims Russia accepted principles agreed with Trump in Anchorage, while Ukraine and its European supporters obstructed them. Finally, he says repeated talks in Istanbul and Abu Dhabi, including humanitarian discussions, were suspended through no fault of Russia. His assertions about coups, motives, sabotage and agreed peace terms remain attributed; he does not announce a new settlement or negotiating round.

Lavrov recounts the February 2014 settlement between Yanukovych and opposition representatives, describing early elections, a national-unity government and reduced presidential powers. He portrays European ministers as guarantors and recounts an Obama–Putin telephone exchange supporting Yanukovych's ability to decide. These are his retrospective descriptions.