Lavrov on the special talks offer in Mariupol: theatrical gesture

Iryna Balachuk - Tuesday, 26 April 2022, 15:40 Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov has called Ukraine's readiness to hold special talks in Mariupol a "theatrical gesture" and said that Russia was still waiting for a response to its proposals, which had been allegedly handed over to Kyiv 10 days ago. Source: Sergei Lavrov at a joint press conference with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Moscow on April 26 Sergei Lavrov, Quote: "I am aware of a theatrically presented proposal from the Ukrainian team - the team that talked to our negotiators in Belarus and Turkey, and then via video conference - to hold a regular meeting in Mariupol just near the walls of 'Azovstal.’ What can I say? [It’s a] theatrical gesture." Details: According to Lavrov, the Ukrainians thus "wanted to stage another tearful scene." "If we are talking a serious attitude to work in the negotiations, they’d better respond to our proposals, which their party has had in their hands for over 10 days, and which, as it turned out, Zelenskyy had not even heard about," Sergei Lavrov said. Background: On April 20, members of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation, MP Davyd Arakhamiia and Senior Ukrainian Presidential Advisor, Mykhailo Podoliak, confirmed that they were ready to come to Mariupol to continue talks with the Russian team, but Russia has not yet responded. On April 24, Mykhailo Podoliak stated that Russian troops had been continually attacking the "Azovstal" plant in Mariupol, where Ukrainian defenders and civilians have been sheltering. Podoliak offered Russia special talks. On April 21, Russian Minister of Defence, Sergey Shoigu lied to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the "liberation" of Mariupol, and then added that there were "over two thousand" Ukrainian defenders remaining in the city. Later, the so-called "head of the Donetsk People’s Republic" Denys Pushylin founded a "medal" "for the Liberation of Mariupol" dated April 21. Mariupol has been under siege since 1 March. However, defenders of Mariupol continue their heroic resistance against the aggressors. Despite still being in a very difficult situation, the "Azov" Regiment fighters and Marines continue to terminate the aggressors' military equipment and manpower.