Aleksandr Grushko, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Photo: Kommersant Photo Agency / ddp USA / Profimedia
Russia sees British influence in Ukraine's latest “provocations” to undermine the peace process, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grusko said on Monday, after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukraine tried to strike Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in Novgorod with drones, an allegation denied by Kiev.
The authorities in Kiev resort to “provocations” aimed at making the peace negotiations fail, at a time when this process enters a “delicate search for solutions” stage, the Russian deputy minister claimed, according to the EFE and Reuters news agencies, quoted by Agerpres.
Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced to the media that Russia would review its position in negotiations to settle the war, following an alleged drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences that resulted in no injuries.
“We do not intend to withdraw from the negotiation process with the US. However, given the final degeneration of the criminal regime in Kiev, which has turned to a policy of state terrorism, Russia's negotiating positions will be reviewed,” said the head of Russian diplomacy.
He claimed that last night Ukraine launched 91 long-range drones at Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region, but all of these drones were allegedly shot down by Russian anti-aircraft. Targets have already been selected for retaliatory strikes by Russia, Lavrov added.
For his part, Putin's foreign policy advisor, Yuriy Ushakov, said that the Kremlin leader informed him about the Ukrainian attack on US President Donald Trump, in a telephone conversation on Monday, after negotiations held in Florida on Sunday between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on a new counterproposal of a peace plan formulated by him, following the initial plan proposed by the US president last month.
Zelensky has denied that Ukraine tried to strike that Putin residence and claims that Russia is thus seeking to undermine the peace process and justify attacks on Ukrainian government buildings. Zelenskiy also asked Trump to respond appropriately to Russian threats.
Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking a Putin residence and will therefore review its position in peace negotiations. Zelenski categorically denies and says that Russia is lying to sabotage diplomatic efforts / Informed by Putin, Trump declares himself “very angry”
Trump spoke on the phone with Putin again. The Kremlin leader announced that “Russia is reviewing its position” on peace negotiations
