Russian State News Agency, November 25 - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated at a joint press conference with his Belarusian counterpart that Belarus and Turkey could serve as constructive mediators in the Ukraine conflict.

Lavrov said: "Russian President Putin recently discussed this with Turkish President Erdogan, and Erdogan has also expressed willingness to help establish a platform. It is not that we have abandoned the Istanbul platform, but rather Ukraine has abandoned it."

According to Belta, Lavrov said that European countries failed to seize the opportunity to participate in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Lavrov said: "Every time progress was made, relevant agreements (whether temporary or more stable long-term agreements) veered off track. Now, our European counterparts loudly claim that there will be no new 'Minsk agreements' again, and they assert that no decision can be made without European involvement, as it directly concerns their interests... However, since 2014, Europe's calculations in all aspects have failed."

Lavrov pointed out that it was Europe that undermined the Minsk agreements, a fact that has also been publicly acknowledged by France and Germany. He said: "It was indeed Europe, specifically one side represented by (former UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson, who discouraged Zelenskyy from signing the agreement proposed by the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul in April 2022."

Lavrov emphasized: "Europe now says, 'How dare you act on your own without us?' But gentlemen, you had the opportunity. You did not seize those opportunities, but wasted them instead."

Lavrov also mentioned that French President Macron made provocative statements today, claiming that Russia is the 'only problem' in the Ukraine issue. Macron also claimed that Russia and Europe are in a strategic confrontation, and that Europe should clearly state that it will never yield to forces that threaten them. Macron also said that once the relevant issues are resolved, he plans to deploy troops to Kyiv and Odessa.

Lavrov commented that Macron's remarks were "a fantasy unrelated to efforts to promote peace."

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