Kallas: Lavrov Showed No Readiness for Peace Talks on Ukraine
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov showed no readiness for negotiations at a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta. Separately, the US State Department approved the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not demonstrate Moscow's readiness for peace talks on Ukraine at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta in the United States. Her remarks, made on 30 October, were cited by the German news service Deutsche Welle. On the 1,711th day of the war in Ukraine, the statement was one of the main diplomatic developments, while attacks on Ukrainian cities continued and a new arms supply deal was approved.
Kallas: actions must prove readiness
An AFP journalist asked whether Lavrov had signalled willingness to make concessions to end the war. Kallas answered in the negative. In her words, even if Russian officials claimed otherwise, their actions point in a different direction, so Russia must prove through deeds that it is ready for negotiations. Kallas also said Lavrov had voiced a great deal of lies and distorted facts, and she called for increased pressure on Moscow.
US approves Patriot missile sale
The US State Department approved the sale of 500 missiles for the Patriot air defence system to Ukraine, worth 2.1 billion dollars. Canada, Germany and Norway will pay for them, according to the Ukrainian portal Unian. The package also includes classified and unclassified spare parts and other logistics and software support elements. Lockheed Martin will be the main contractor. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the decision but noted that deliveries might begin only in several years.
Attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv
On the evening of 30 October, Russian forces attacked an energy facility in Kyiv. Part of the city was left without electricity, and there were also water supply problems, Ukrainska Pravda reported. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said parts of the Obolon, Darnytsia, Desnianskyi and Podil districts lost power. Overnight into 31 October, Russian forces attacked Kharkiv's Osnovianskyi district with drones, the BBC reported. About 10 private houses, outbuildings and a car were damaged, and five people were injured.
