Britain’s foreign minister: Ukraine peace talks can’t be used as cover for Russian rearmament

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London, Britain, November 22, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

LONDON — Any peace talks in Ukraine cannot be a fig-leaf for Russian rearmament, British foreign minister James Cleverly said on Sunday, adding that he had not seen any signs that Moscow would enter into negotiations in good faith.

Cleverly said that, while Britain wanted to see peace talks “sooner rather than later”, he reiterated that Ukraine should set the parameters for any negotiations that were held.

“Any negotiations need to be real, they need to be meaningful, they can’t just be a fig leaf for Russian rearmament and further recruitment of soldiers,” Cleverly told Sky News.

“I’m not really seeing anything coming from the Russian side that gives me confidence that Vladimir Putin is entering these talks in good faith. The wider rhetoric is still very confrontational.”

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