Hommam Al Nassim 
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed during a phone call on Wednesday with his French counterpart Sebastien Licornu Moscow’s readiness to negotiate on Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that during the call, reference was made to readiness for dialogue on Ukraine, basing the starting points on the Istanbul Peace Initiative.
Shoigu stressed to his French counterpart that sending French troops to Ukraine would create problems for France itself, the ministry said.
“Regarding the statements of the Elysee Palace about sending a French contingent to Ukraine, Sergei Shoigu pointed out that if it is implemented in practice, it will create problems for France itself,” it said in its statement.
Swiss Foreign Minister Inezio Cassis has admitted in previous statements that there is no alternative to Russia’s participation in the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, and that holding a peace conference without the Russian Federation is impossible.
The Swiss minister said Russia would be invited to Switzerland to participate in the peace conference on Ukraine, although Russian representatives were unlikely.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that Russia does not rely much on Switzerland’s services in the peace process in Ukraine, because Bern has long lost its neutrality.
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