Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov links peace in Ukraine to a 'new world order'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks as the Turkish Foreign Minister listens on during a joint press conference following talks in Ankara on April 7, 2023 - Copyright ADEM ALTAN/AFP or licensors

By Euronews with AFP

Published on 07/04/2023 - 16:30•Updated 08/04/2023 - 09:37

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Lavrov made the comment while on a trip to Ankara to discuss the Turkey-mediated grain deal from July.

Peace negotiations on Ukraine are possible only if they aim at establishing a "new world order" without US domination, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a trip to Turkey on Friday.

"What should be discussed are what the principles of the new world order, which we all need, will be based on," he said.

Lavrov added that instead of a one-sided world order, this should be based "on the principles of the UN Charter, which, I emphasise once again, are directly violated by the collective West."

Lavrov is in Turkey to discuss the Ukraine grain deal

Lavrov is in Ankara for talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu about the July 2022 grain deal that allowed the partial unblocking of ports and the exporting of agricultural products from Ukraine via the Black Sea.

Moscow blames European countries for allegedly ignoring part of the agreement about grain exports from Russia, and according to Lavrov, the deal could be reassessed if Western countries don't revise their sanctions on Russian exports.

Turkey, a NATO member, is trying to persuade Moscow and Kyiv to resume peace talks, hoping to build on diplomatic efforts made last year.

"Despite the complication of the international situation, the Russian-Turkish political dialogue, mainly at the level of the heads of the two states, continues," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued before the start of Lavrov's visit.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it agreed to extend the grain deal "as a goodwill gesture for another 60 days."

Turkey has requested a 120-day extension, in line with the original agreement. Ukraine is one of the world's leading grain producers.

The UN and Turkey-mediated agreement in July 2022 has so far allowed the export of more than 25 million tonnes of grain.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are said to have maintained close relations, either by telephone or in face-to-face meetings.

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