The lifting of sanctions imposed against Russia is part of the peace talks between Moscow and Ukraine, which are “difficult” but continue on a daily basis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in comments published early on Saturday morning.

On Friday, Kiev warned that negotiations on ending the Russian invasion, which have been going on for the third month, are in danger of collapse.

“At present, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations are actually discussing the draft of a possible treaty in videoconference mode on a daily basis,” Lavrov said in comments to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Since the beginning of the invasion on February 24, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has insisted that Western sanctions against Russia must be strengthened and they cannot be part of the negotiations.

Ukraine and Russia have not held face-to-face peace talks since March 29, and the atmosphere has soured due to Ukraine’s statements about the atrocities of Russian troops when they left the areas near Kiev. Moscow has denied the accusations.

Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” to demilitarize and “denazify” its neighbor. Ukraine and the West claim that Russia has launched an unprovoked aggressive war.

“The agenda of the talks also includes, among other things, issues of denazification, recognition of new geopolitical realities, lifting of sanctions, the status of the Russian language,” Lavrov said, without going into details.

“We are for the continuation of negotiations, although they are difficult,” Lavrov said.

Source: Turan News Agency