Lavrov rejects Zelensky’s ‘peace formula,’ questioning his sanity

Russia is rejecting the 10-step peace plan proposed by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview to the state-run RIA Novosti. In his own words,

It’s obvious that Kyiv isn’t ready for dialogue. In proposing all kinds of ideas and “peace formulas,” Zelensky is cherishing an illusion of being able to get help from the West in getting our troops out of the Russian territories in Donbas, Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, and the Kherson region, in getting Russia to pay reparations and to repent in front of international tribunals, and so forth. Of course, we’re not going to talk to anyone on such conditions. It’s hard to say if there are any remaining sane politicians in the Kyiv-controlled parts.

Zelensky proposed his “peace formula” at the G20 summit in Bali last November. Its ingredients include

• guarantees of nuclear, radiation, food, and energy security for Ukraine;
• POW exchange;
• repatriation of Ukrainians forcibly removed from the country;
• getting the Russian troops out of Ukraine;
• preventing a new escalation of hostilities;
• setting up a tribunal to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine;
• and establishing channels for compensating Ukraine for war damages.

Since proposing this “formula,” Zelensky has called for a global peace summit, suggesting that it should take place at the start of 2023.