Zelenskyy on Lavrov's statements: I don't understand what security guarantees aggressor needs

Ukraine needs security guarantees in order to clearly know that Russia will not attack again, when the Russian Federation raises questions about them, it is not clear what they are threatened with, since they attacked Ukraine, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Ukraine needs security guarantees so that you and I, our children, grandchildren, know clearly that Russia will not attack us. These are security guarantees against the aggressor... Because the aggressor is Russia. When Russia raises the question of security guarantees, I, to be honest, still don't know who threatens them. They attacked us... And I don't quite understand what guarantees the aggressor needs," Zelenskyy said during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Friday in Kyiv.

The President stressed that partners in Europe want the war not to happen again, and "the only trigger in this is Russia."

As reported, on August 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine in any format, but a potential meeting at the highest level must be carefully prepared and must put an end to the negotiation process.

He also said that Moscow cannot agree to a situation where issues of collective security in connection with the situation in Ukraine will be resolved without Russia. "I am sure that the West, and primarily the United States, understand perfectly well that seriously discussing the issue of ensuring security without Russia is a utopia, a path to nowhere," Lavrov stressed.