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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has commented on France’s statement that contacts with Ukraine would resume after elections to the State Duma.
The Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Lavrov made the remarks while answering a question from Andrew Napolitano, a former New Jersey Supreme Court judge, columnist and blogger, on the “The Great Game” program.
The head of Russia’s foreign policy agency said the US side had provided no information about subsequent diplomatic steps. French representatives, however, have said that talks would resume after the State Duma elections.
“I leave all this to the conscience of the Elysee Palace. Especially because this palace has repeatedly been remembered for behavior that was far from ethical regarding the content of telephone conversations and other talks,” Lavrov said.
Earlier, the Elysee Palace said that Russia would be ready for new talks with Ukraine after the State Duma elections scheduled for Sept. 18-20.
Russia’s State Duma is the lower house of the country’s parliament. Elections to the chamber have traditionally been closely watched because of their significance for Russia’s domestic political landscape and foreign policy direction.
