Zakharova: Switzerland can no longer claim to be a mediator between Ukraine and Russia

The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, did not confirm the information about the talks on Ukraine, which are taking place in Geneva. At the same time, she stressed that Switzerland had lost its neutrality status and could not mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Earlier, the talks on Ukraine were reported in the Swiss Foreign Ministry.

“For our part, we note that Switzerland, which has joined the illegal unilateral anti-Russian sanctions of the West against Russia, in our understanding, is no longer a neutral state and cannot claim any mediating role in the context of resolving the Ukrainian crisis, including providing its platform,”— Maria Zakharova told reporters, her words are given on site Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On February 23, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said that negotiations on Ukraine were being held in Geneva “in an atmosphere of maximum discretion”. He did not say who is involved in the talks, but said that they are “not at the highest level.”

The next day, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said he was not aware of any talks on Ukraine. Medinsky represented the Russian delegation at the talks on Ukraine in the spring of 2022 in Istanbul.

Switzerland has joined the ceiling on prices for Russian oil and oil products, the EU sanctions, and has also frozen Russian assets in the amount of 7.5 billion francs (approximately $7.94 billion).

Follow the situation in Ukraine in the online broadcast “Kommersant”.

Lusine Balasyan