Lavrov: Russia wants conflict in Ukraine to end as soon as possible

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday during a visit to Brazil that Moscow wanted the conflict in Ukraine to end as soon as possible.

At a news conference with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira, Lavrov thanked Brazil for its "understanding of the genesis of the situation in Ukraine" and said Russia had "an interest" in the conflict ending as soon as possible.

Russia has repeatedly said that any settlement of the conflict must acknowledge the "realities" of its unilateral annexation of four Ukrainian provinces, which its armed forces partly control.

Russia says it was forced to intervene in Ukraine in February last year to defend Russian speakers from persecution and to prevent the West using Ukraine to threaten Russia's security.

Kyiv and the West say these are baseless pretexts for a war of conquest in which thousands have been killed and Ukrainian cities have been devastated.