Russia has accused the US of dragging out the war in Ukraine for its own interests. “They are speculating on pumping more weapons into Ukraine,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a speech to Moscow students on Wednesday, according to the Interfax agency. “Apparently they want to keep us in a state of combat action for as long as possible.”
For this reason, talks between a Russian and a Ukrainian delegation were sluggish: “Negotiations are difficult because the Ukrainian side (…) constantly changes its position and rejects its own proposals,” Lavrov claimed. “It’s hard to shake the impression that they are being held by their American colleagues who (…) simply assume that it is unprofitable for them to complete this process quickly.”
Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on February 24. A little later, the first negotiations between the two sides began, which are now conducted online.