Former president Dmitry Medvedev, now vice-president of Russia’s Security Council, also assured a French television network that Moscow would not object to holding talks with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, under certain conditions.
A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow would not end its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kyiv officially announced it was abandoning its intention to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Former president Dmitry Medvedev, now vice-president of Russia’s Security Council, also assured a French television network that Moscow would not object to holding talks with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, under certain conditions.
Years before the Russian military invaded Ukrainian territory in late February, Moscow made it clear that it considered Ukraine’s NATO membership unacceptable.
“The repudiation of its membership in the North Atlantic alliance is now vital, but it is no longer sufficient to restore peace,” Mr Medvedev told French TV network LCI, according to Russian news agencies.
Moscow will continue its campaign until its goals are achieved, he added.
Vladimir Putin says one of the purposes of what he calls a “special military operation” is the “de-Naziization” of Ukraine. Kyiv and the West call the target a mere pretext for the war of conquest they say Moscow is waging.
Russia and Ukraine have held several rounds of talks since the invasion began on February 24, but no progress has been made and there is little prospect of a resumption.
“This (s.b.: holding talks) will depend on how events unfold. We were already prepared to meet” with Mr Zelensky, he added.
Mr. Medvedev also noted that weapons supplied by Washington to Ukraine — such as HIMARS multiple rocket launchers — do not pose a serious threat, at least for now.
But the situation will change, he pointed out, if the US sends missiles with a longer effective range.
“It means that when this kind of missile travels 70 kilometers, it’s one thing. But when it travels 300-400 kilometers, it’s another thing, it poses a threat to the territory of the Russian Federation.”
RES-EMP
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