MOSCOW, Mar 16 Russia is ready for any formats of dialogue on Ukraine, if they allow look for diplomatic solutions, Yury Pilipson, director of the Fourth European Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with RIA Novosti. «To date, three rounds of Russian-Ukrainian consultations have already taken place in the Republic of Belarus, the negotiation process continues. We initially declared our readiness for any formats of communication, if they are beneficial, make it possible to seek peaceful diplomatic solutions — of course, with unconditional consideration of the interests of our national security, the principled approaches voiced by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin,» Pilipson said. On Monday, Russia and Ukraine launched another round of negotiations, this time it was held in the format of a videoconference. A pause was taken in the negotiations, they continued on March 15. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Armed Forces strike only at the military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. With the support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the DPR and LPR groups are developing an offensive. But the occupation of Ukraine is out of the question, the President of Russia emphasized.
