Lavrov: Moscow 'is open to talks' with the West

Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said his country is willing to hold discussions with the West about the conflict in Ukraine but has not yet received a serious proposal for talks.

In an interview on state television, Lavrov stated that Russia is willing to discuss ways to end the war with the United States or Turkey, adding that officials, including White House spokesman John Kirby, have stated that the United States is open to talks, but Russia has refused. "That is a fabrication. We have not accepted any serious contact offers."

Lavrov also stated that he would not reject a proposal for a meeting between Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden during the Group of 20 (G-20) summit in Indonesia in mid-November and that he would consider it if he accepted it. "We have stated numerous times that we never refuse meetings. If there is a proposal, we will take it into consideration."

In response to the possibility of Turkey hosting talks between the West and Russia, Lavrov stated that Moscow is open to any proposal but cannot guarantee that it will be implemented, adding that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will have the opportunity to make proposals to Putin when they meet tomorrow in Astana, Kazakhstan.

His comments follow the Ukrainian counteroffensive that began in early September, which caused a string of Russian defeats and upended the situation on the ground.

Sources: Reuters, AP-MPE