Lavrov: “The West lies about peace talks”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Western countries’ statements that Moscow refuses to negotiate peace with Ukraine are false.

In an interview broadcast on state television, Lavrov accused the West of trying to turn Moldova, Georgia and the former Soviet Union countries in Central Asia against Moscow.

Lavrov also said the United States was directly involved in the explosions that severely damaged the Nord Stream gas pipeline at the bottom of the Baltic Sea last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the British orchestrated the explosion at the pipeline, while London denied this claim.

AUSTRIA EXPORTS RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS

Meanwhile, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked 4 Russian diplomats from two different missions in the country to leave the country due to their “behavior incompatible with their status”.

In a written statement made by the Foreign Ministry, it was reported that 2 Russian diplomats working at the Russian Embassy in Vienna were declared persona non grata in accordance with the necessary articles of the Vienna Agreement due to their “behavior incompatible with their condition”. “.

In the statement, which claimed that two Russian diplomats from Russia’s mission of the United Nations (UN) Vienna Office were also asked to leave the country on the grounds that they “behaved against their status.” , it was emphasized that such diplomats should go. the country no later than February 8. (Reuters/AA)