Lavrov: China can organize a peace conference between Russia and Ukraine

China could organize a peace conference in which Russia and Ukraine will participate, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, quoted by Euroactive.
Lavrov said such a step would be a continuation of Beijing's efforts to resolve the "Ukraine crisis."
"We share China's position that the root causes of the conflict must first be removed and the legitimate interests of all parties must be protected, with subsequent agreements based on the principle of equal and indivisible security," Lavrov said.
"Let me emphasize again that this presupposes respect for the realities on the ground, which reflect the will of the people living there," he added.
Russia has repeatedly called for negotiations on the condition that Kiev and the West recognize its territorial gains in Ukraine. Kyiv rejects these proposals.
Lavrov criticized the United States for providing aid to Ukraine, saying Washington had become an "accomplice in the crimes of the Kyiv regime."
In particular, he stressed that Russia views the planned delivery of nuclear-armed F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as a "signal action" by NATO.
"They are trying to tell us that the US and NATO will stop at nothing in Ukraine," Lavrov said.
"Nevertheless, we hope that the ongoing Russian-Belarusian exercises on the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons will knock some sense into our opponents by reminding them of the catastrophic consequences of further nuclear escalation," he added.
In the Middle East, the United States is also "fanning the flames of conflict."
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to end the war in Ukraine with an agreed ceasefire that recognizes the current battle lines, four Russian sources said recently.
Ukraine and up to 100 countries will participate in the Ukraine Peace Conference in the luxury resort of Burgenstock near the central city of Lucerne on June 15-16, which will be hosted by Swiss President Viola Amherd.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called on US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to attend the peace summit in Switzerland on May 26. /BGNES