The goal of Moscow's special "military operation" is to demilitarise Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, accusing Ukraine's leader of promoting "anti-Russian, Russophobe" rhetoric.
Lavrov said his country "recognises [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy as Ukraine's legitimate president", while emphasising that Russia's only aim is to "demilitarise" Ukraine.
Once Ukraine has been demilitarised, the Ukrainians "must decide themselves how they will live," Lavrov said on Wednesday in an interview with Qatar's Al Jazeera TV channel.
Emphasising that the goal of Russia's "military operation" is to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine, Lavrov said the Ukrainians "must have a say in this matter".
Sergey Lavrov's statement came amid Russian invasion of Ukraine which entered its eighth day. Amid heavy shelling, bombing and street fighting in parts of Ukraine, the Ukraine’s State Emergency Service claimed that more than 2,000 civilians have died since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Lavrov said Zelenskyy's demand for security guarantees is "a positive step" and Russia is ready to discuss the issue during the second round of talks with Ukrainian officials.
However, he said the second round may not happen because Kyiv is waiting for Washington's nod.
"The fact that President Zelenskyy declared his readiness, or rather, his desire to receive security guarantees – I think this is a positive step," said Lavrov.
"Our negotiators are ready to discuss these guarantees with Ukrainian representatives during the second round of talks. But they have not yet confirmed the second round. They are biding time. I think they are also not allowed by the Americans. No one believes in Kiev's independence now," he said.
