MOSCOW, 23 June (BelTA) – No one seriously says that the Minsk agreements on resolving the crisis in Ukraine are no longer viable, BelTA learned from the latest interview Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov gave to Belarusian mass media.
Sergei Lavrov said: “I've heard no serious talk that the Minsk agreements have run their course. There is plenty of non-serious talk.”
Sergei Lavrov reminded that the Minsk agreements had been approved by the UN Security Council and provide for political reforms among other things.
Speaking about the USA's possible involvement in the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian minister of foreign affairs reminded that Russia agreed to proposals to that effect back in the days of Barack Obama's administration. “But back then cooperation with Americans was recognized as advisable in addition to the Normandy format instead of inside this mechanism,” remarked Sergei Lavrov. This is why a bilateral channel between the USA and Russia was established at the level of the U.S. Department of State and the Russian President Administration. Similar bilateral formats were already in effect between the USA and Berlin, Paris, and Kiev.
“We've confirmed readiness to restore this bilateral channel if Donald Trump's administration finds it advisable,” said Sergei Lavrov. “We believe it could be useful. But we have yet to receive any concrete response to our interest.”
