"Russia is ready for a serious discussion on the Ukrainian settlement, which could be conducted on the basis of the Istanbul document of 2022," it was stated in an interview with TASS by Alexei Polishchuk, head of the second department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stressing that in order to start negotiations, it is necessary to resolve the legal aspects of the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his decree banning negotiations with Moscow, APA reports.
"The Russian side is open to realistic proposals and is ready for serious discussions. As has been noted more than once, a peaceful settlement is possible on the basis of the Istanbul document of 2022, which spoke of a neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status for Ukraine, its demilitarization and denazification, non-deployment of foreign troops and bases on its territory, taking into account modern territorial realities and the eradication of the entire set of root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. In addition, in order to begin negotiations, legal aspects related to the illegitimacy of Zelenskyy and his decree banning them must be resolved," the diplomat noted.
