Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says his government is ready and willing to meet Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko, saying there is no need for Western mediation and they are ready for direct talks.
Poroshenko, who won yesterday’s election, has significant business interests in Russia, and if not a welcome candidate was at least seen as less objectionable to Russia than some of the alternatives.
At the same time, Russia’s primary goal is to negotiate an end to the military offensive against Donetsk, along the Russian border, saying Ukraine must halt “military operations against their own people.”
That seems unlikely, as Poroshenko is ruling out any talks with the easterners, who he dubbed “terrorists,” and talked up a quick military victory against the regions.
