Russia open to talks but insists on equal footing, no lectures — ambassador to Germany

BERLIN, April 18. /TASS/. Russia is open to negotiations and to restoring relations, but the dialogue must be constructive and without lectures, Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev said at a discussion titled "Mutual Understanding Between the East and the West — For Bolder Diplomacy" held on Friday at Berlin’s Theater Ost, a TASS correspondent reported. "We are open to negotiations. We are open to restoring relations with all the states that want this, to a dialogue as equals. Without being told where our place is," the diplomat said. Only on this basis, he added, can the dialogue continue. "We do not refuse dialogue and are always ready for it - with all those who genuinely want it," he said. "If, however, the aim is to lecture us, that will not work. Absolutely. We support constructive proposals and constructive discussions," the ambassador added. "We are fully ready for dialogue, but we will not impose ourselves," he said. The diplomat said that Western Europe is not inclined to conduct an in-depth and objective analysis of Russian realities or of Russia’s security interests. "But the time for diplomacy will come. Certainly. In one form or another. After all, we support a long-term and lasting peace with Ukraine, formalized in international law, with specific security guarantees - possibly through approval by the UN Security Council," Nechayev noted, adding that Russia is ready for further talks. At the same time, he noted that Russia has not terminated a single agreement with Germany. "Everything that has been frozen was not done by us. We did not burn bridges, we are absolutely open. Hundreds of various agreements were successful for both sides. Yes, in terms of trust we now need, let’s say, a new start, a new beginning," the diplomat said.