Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions of the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin TV programme, Astana, July 3, 2024

Question: How were the talks with President of China?

Sergey Lavrov: Excellent. Full understanding.

Question: What issues were discussed first?

Sergey Lavrov: The entire range of issues on our bilateral agenda and of our cooperation on the global stage, including the UN, BRICS, the SCO, and various other formats.

Question: Were the Ukrainian settlement process and President Vladimir Putin’s peace plan discussed?

Sergey Lavrov: These positions are well known. China firmly supports a peaceful settlement. We share this approach. We have repeatedly commented on Chinese initiatives.

However, as you know, Ukraine rejects any attempts to negotiate. Vladimir Zelensky’s executive order prohibits negotiating with Russia. The West does not want Ukraine to stop this war that it unleashed against Russia with Ukrainians’ hands.

Several days ago, our well-known pranksters Vovan and Leksus talked with Hillary Clinton (on behalf of Petr Poroshenko) who said directly that their common deed must be continued by all means. This is what the current situation looks like.