Russia 'interested' in quick end to Ukraine conflict, urges solution based on multipolarity

Moscow is "interested" in ending the year-long war in Ukraine "as soon as possible", Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday following his meeting with Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in Brasilia.

The top Russian diplomat stressed that any solution would have to be based on "multipolarity," accusing the West of "trying to dominate the international arena."

Lavrov reaffirmed Russia's stance that any diplomatic solution to the raging conflict must acknowledge the realities of four former Ukrainian provinces joining Moscow. 

"We are interested in the Ukrainian conflict ending as soon as possible. We have already announced in detail the reasons for what is happening and the very goals that we are pursuing in this regard," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Vieira.

"They consist primarily in guaranteeing the absence of any threats to the military security of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, and the West has been implementing such plans for many years. And the second task, of course, is to protect the lives and legal rights of the Russian-speaking population of the east and south of Ukraine," he hastened to add.

During the press conference, Veira hit out at Washington, denying its claims that Brazil was relaying propaganda from China and Russia.

Lavrov arrived in Brasilia on Monday, where he discussed issues such as the war in Ukraine and bilateral trade with Brazilian government officials. 

“We are grateful to our Brazilian friends for their clear understanding of the genesis of the situation [in Ukraine]. We are grateful for their desire to contribute to finding ways of settling this situation,” Lavrov told reporters following his meeting with Vieira.

Lavrov expresses Russia’s readiness to discuss Ukraine conflict with Western countries

Russia’s foreign minister has reiterated Moscow’s readiness to discuss the Ukrainian conflict with Western countries.

The top Russian diplomat also met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and thanked Brazil for its efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Lula drew criticism from Washington on Monday for his recent comments suggesting the West had been "encouraging" war by arming Ukraine.

White House spokesman John Kirby accused Lula of "parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda without looking at the facts."

"The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace," Lula told reporters on Saturday after he returned from China, where he discussed the matter with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

He also called for countries not involved in the war to engage Russia and Ukraine in peace talks.

"But we also have to talk to the United States and European Union. We have to convince people that peace is the way," Lula was quoted as saying.

Lavrov told journalists in Brasilia on Monday that Moscow was "grateful to our Brazilian friends for their clear understanding of the genesis of the situation."

"We are grateful for their desire to contribute to finding ways to settle this situation," the top Russian diplomat said.

Brazil has not joined Western countries in imposing sanctions against Russia and has turned down requests to supply Ukraine with ammunition.

During his Brazil visit, Lavrov said Russia will support the country's entry into the United Nations Security Council as a permanent member.

“We are tapping into a fairer, more correct and law-based world order. In this regard, we have a vision of the multipolar world, in which we consider the protagonism of various countries and no longer just a few", he said inviting Lula to visit Russia.

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