#Lavrov: We know who leads #Ukraine.. and #Kiev does not want to manage the negotiations #usa

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Kyiv does not want to conduct dialogue and negotiation regarding the Ukrainian file.

From Tashkent, which he is visiting to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting, Lavrov stressed that Ukraine does not want to manage the negotiations, adding: "We know who leads Ukraine."

The Russian official touched on the issue of contact with his American counterpart Anthony Blinken, saying: "There is no agenda for discussion topics with Blinken in the contact," explaining that "the contact is scheduled to take place soon."

"It is important to listen to Blinken's proposals on the export of Russian grain," Lavrov added.

Regarding the economic aspect, Lavrov said: "The dollar is no longer trusted in trade exchanges for us."

He considered that the Shanghai Organization "stands in the way of establishing a unipolar world," reiterating Russia's support for the "one China principle."

upcoming call

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the United States had made an "important" offer to Russia about two American prisoners it held, and that he would speak with his Russian counterpart for the first time since the Russian military operation in Ukraine.

Blinken told reporters that the expected phone conversation "in the coming days" with Lavrov "will not be to negotiate over Ukraine", but will be devoted to American prisoners in Russia, and to discuss resuming the export of Ukrainian grain crops.

As for the grain export file, Blinken said that he will discuss with Lavrov a Russian-Ukrainian agreement to export 25 million tons of grain, which was reached last week in Istanbul with Turkish mediation and UN sponsorship.

"We hope that this agreement will allow the rapid resumption of Ukrainian grain shipments through the Black Sea, and that Russia will fulfill its pledge to allow these ships to transit," the US official said.