Countries realizing Washington provoked Ukraine conflict

The remarks come as Lavrov told Sputnik during a G20 press conference in Bali that the EU and NATO have been involved in a hybrid war in Ukraine for a long time.

Speaking to reporters, Lavrov also said that French President Emmanuel Macron had confirmed his intention to continue contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to find ways to resolve the Ukraine conflict.

“As I have said, today I had a brief conversation with President Macron, who confirmed his desire to continue communicating with President Putin to find some agreements that would help resolve the whole situation, as he has put it”, the Russian foreign minister pointed out.

The top Russian diplomat said that Moscow is not in the know about the US preparing negotiations on Ukraine.

"As for reports that the Americans are preparing [such] negotiations, these rumors constantly pop up and then disappear with the same success, we no longer react to this," Lavrov emphasized.

Lavrov added that Moscow wants to see “concrete evidence that the West is seriously interested in disciplining [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky] and explaining to him that this cannot continue and that it is not in the interests of the Ukrainian people”.

The Russian foreign minister noted that the 20-minute pre-recorded speech by Zelensky broadcast at the G20 Summit indicates that "he is not listening to any Western advice yet."

RHM/PR