Moscow calls on NATO to stop arming Ukraine, and Kiev talks about a "high possibility" to stop negotiations

Russia called on NATO and the United States to "wake up" and stop supplying arms to Ukraine.

While Kyiv confirmed that negotiations with Moscow had slowed down due to "Russian war crimes", the Ukrainian presidency spoke of "high possibilities" for the talks to stop.

In an interview published by the official China News Agency on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on NATO and Washington to stop supplying Kyiv with weapons "if they are really interested in solving the Ukrainian crisis."

"A continuous flow of all kinds of weapons has entered Ukraine through Poland and other NATO countries," Lavrov said.

"If the United States and NATO are really interested in solving the Ukrainian crisis, they should first of all wake up and stop handing over weapons and ammunition to the Kyiv regime," the Russian foreign minister added.

In turn, the RIA quoted Lavrov as saying that "Russia does not consider itself at war with NATO because of Ukraine, because the occurrence of such a development would increase the risks of a nuclear war."

It will achieve its goals

On the other hand, Lavrov stressed that "the special military operation that began on February 24 is proceeding strictly according to the plan," adding, "All the goals of the special military operation will be achieved despite the obstruction by our opponents."

Regarding negotiations with Kyiv, Lavrov stressed that lifting the sanctions imposed on Russia is part of these negotiations, which he said are "difficult", but continue daily.

Kyiv warned on Friday that talks on "ending the Russian invasion, now in its third month", were in danger of collapsing.

"The Russian and Ukrainian delegations are already discussing a possible draft treaty on a daily basis via video conferences," Lavrov said.

Ukraine and Russia have not held direct talks since March 29, after the atmosphere became tense due to Ukrainian allegations that Russian forces committed atrocities during their withdrawal from areas near Kyiv.

Moscow denies these allegations.

"The agenda of the talks includes, among other things, issues of getting rid of the Nazis, recognition of new geopolitical realities, lifting of sanctions and the status of the Russian language in Ukraine," Lavrov said.

Ukrainian position

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insists on the need to tighten Western sanctions against Russia and has repeatedly stressed that Moscow cannot be part of the negotiations.

In this regard, Zelensky said that there is a high probability of stopping peace talks with Moscow, justifying this by "popular anger at the atrocities committed by Russian forces in his country."

In turn, Mikhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Ukrainian President's office, said in radio statements that the meeting of Russian Presidents Vladimir Putin and Zelensky will not happen soon, as Turkey says, but rather wait.

Podolyak added that Kyiv sees no reason to hold a direct meeting between the Ukrainian-Russian negotiating groups and that the negotiations have slowed down due to the Russian war crimes in Kyiv and the rest of the Ukrainian cities, and Russia's desire to achieve tactical victories in the east of the country.

For his part, Andrei Yermak, Director of the Ukrainian President's Office, said that his country is proposing a new collective agreement on guarantees granted to Ukraine as a basis for a collective response to global security challenges, adding that any armistice with Russia will be temporary and fragile without these guarantees.

Yarmac also added in an article published in the American "TIME" magazine that Ukraine needs steadfastness and victory to force Russia to sign a peace agreement.

The Ukrainian president's chief of staff also said that the Kremlin and its allies are at the forefront of forces that want to destroy the system of international relations.

Russian disclaimer

On the other hand, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Russia is not obligated to cooperate with the International Criminal Court on the investigation in Ukraine.

According to Zakharova, Moscow noted the announcement issued on April 25 that the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court joined the Joint Investigation Group of Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine, which was established under the auspices of the European Court of Justice.

For the ICC prosecutor's office, Zakharova said, this move shows that it is not even trying to maintain impartiality and objectivity and is enthusiastically joining the process in which the perpetrators are clearly identified in advance.

"If someone still has doubts that the ICC is a body that implements political orders and has nothing to do with independent justice, the new creative form of work makes everything very clear," she added.

Macedonian President's Remarks

The President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovsky said that all NATO members have come to provide support to Ukraine since the start of the Russian war on Ukraine, but the members of the alliance agreed that this support should not be a direct intervention in the war and that the support should be from abroad only.

The President of the Republic of North Macedonia added in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera that the countries that help Ukraine are afraid of Russian targeting, including NATO members.

Regarding the issue of paying for Russian gas in rubles, Pendarovsky told Al Jazeera that his country's authorities will pay for natural gas supplied from Russia in rubles, if that is necessary because it depends on gas supplies from Russia.

He considered that the Russian demands to pay for gas in rubles in the midst of the current crisis are blackmail and a violation of international law, and said that it is better for NATO and European Union countries to get rid of dependence on Russian gas as soon as possible.