THE Russian side is ready to meet with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the papal envoy for the Ukrainian settlement and the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, to discuss the Ukrainian crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
“The Vatican is continuing its efforts. The papal envoy will come back [to Russia] soon. We are ready to meet with anyone, we are ready to talk with anyone,” he said at a roundtable discussion on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.
The top diplomat recalled that Russia has held meetings on Ukraine with representatives of Turkey, “who also have different ideas.” “We appreciate the non-public efforts of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, first of all, in organizing the exchange of prisoners of war,” he added.
Moscow says it will consider all serious proposals to settle the conflict in Ukraine if they meet Russia’s legitimate interests, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at talks with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Than Swe.
“We are ready to consider any serious proposals that will take into account the realities on the ground and the basic legitimate interests of the Russian Federation,” the Russian minister said in opening remarks.
He said some countries in the Global South had already sent Russia initiatives to resolve the conflict in Ukraine “apparently driven by sincere motives.”
Lavrov also noted that Moscow highly appreciates the “weighted, balanced, objective position of Myanmar friends in connection with what is happening in Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House next week, Associated Press reported citing a source in the US administration.
According to the agency, Zelensky will meet with the US leader “at the White House next Thursday.”
Also, US Congress sources said Zelensky would also participate in the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly and visit the US Congress.
The visit will take place “as Congress is debating providing as much as $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid” to Ukraine.
Earlier, NBC reported citing an unnamed Ukrainian government official, that Zelensky planned to meet with Biden during his visit to the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly. At the same time, the official did not specify whether the visit will take place in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, or Biden will receive the Ukrainian leader in Washington.
Zelensky is scheduled to deliver his address to the UN General Assembly in the morning of September 19. On the following day, the UN Security Council will hold a high-level meeting on Ukraine, but neither the US nor Ukraine have yet confirmed the participation of their leaders.
Source: Agents
