Interfax: Senseless to convene four-sided meeting to demand Russian concessions in form of cheap gas for Ukraine – Lavrov

NOVO-OGARYOVO. April 9 (Interfax) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Russia is ready to join four-sided talks on Ukraine, if they are meant to urge those who are in charge in Kyiv to take care of the country but not demand cheap gas from Russia.

“This is our position: we want to see clear purposes for the meeting. If we are told: sit down at the [negotiating] table and give cheap gas and so on, then it is probably senseless,” Lavrov said on Wednesday answering a question from Interfax.

“If the meeting is dedicated to urging the Ukrainian authorities not to wait for the southwestern regions to start expressing their indignation – and they have already started – but to talk to them, then we will join such a call,” Lavrov said.

He stressed that after February 22 those who seized power in Kyiv did not visit southeastern territories a single time or talk to the people.

“They think that there is the Party of Regions, there are Communists in Verkhovna Rada and that is enough. But that is not so. Many regions think that those who sit in the Rada don’t represent their interests,” the minister said.

He also commented on the announcement of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk that the Ukrainian budget is based on the rate of natural gas of $485 for 1,000 cubic meters which complies with the price of the contract signed in the days of the premiership of Yulia Tymoshenko.

“And now they say they will not pay before they agree on the price they want with us. There are more questions than answers but we are always ready for dialogue,” Lavrov said.