Russian foreign minister claims West prevented negotiations to end Ukraine war

The US and other allies have said Moscow is not serious about negotiations to end the war, set to mark its one-year anniversary next month.

Sergei Lavrov (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Moscow was willing to negotiate with Ukraine in the early months of the war but the US and other western nations advised Kyiv against it, Russia’s foreign minister has claimed.

Sergei Lavrov’s remarks on a visit to South Africa were similar to those made last year by Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country was ready for talks but Ukraine’s western allies prevented them from happening.