Russian, Qatari foreign ministers to discuss bilateral cooperation on December 25.
On the sitation in Ukraine
"Unfortunately, we see that the ceasefire is becoming more fragile because of increased provocations," Zakharova said during her weekly briefing.
#Zakharova: @OSCE Chairperson in Office, Ivica Dacic, has wisely called for a ceasefire on the Christmas holidays from December 23 @RF_OSCE
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) December 24, 2015
However, Moscow hopes that the Donbas ceasfire will last longer than the New Year holidays, Zakharova said.
Middle East and Africa
#Zakharova: #Russia calls for more active, coordinated intnl efforts to find political solutions to conflicts in the M. East and N.Africa
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) December 24, 2015
"We support restoring of the country's infrustructure and integrity," Zakharova said.
"We have repeatedly said that we can settle the Libyan problem by allowing Libyan people to decide their future," Zakharova added.
Daesh wants to get settled in Libya. We should prevent this scenario, the spokeswoman noted.
Speaking on the Yemeni crisis, Zakharova said Moscow welcomes that parts of the conflict have reached agreement during the talks on December 18.
#Zakharova: It is gratifying that the conflicting parties in #Yemen have overcome mutual mistrust and hostility and have launched a dialogue
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) December 24, 2015
On Syria
Meanwhile, Moscow does not exclude that actions by the United States in the Middle East could have led to the migration crisis in Europe, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
“We are observing that the mass arrival of refugees to Europe from regions of the Middle East and Northern Africa development is related to the situation. This is a humanitarian catastrophe, and we haven't changed our assessment of this. The humanitarian catastrophe is the consequence of the irresponsible and short-sighted interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states with the goal of destabilizing them and forcibly changing objectionable governments in the region,” Zakharova said during her weekly briefing.
#Zakharova: The countries that are responsible for provoking conflicts must also assume responsibility for humanitarian aid to their victims
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) December 24, 2015
"We should prevent the invasion of terrorists to Europe under the guise of being redugees," Maria Zakharova said.
China's efforts in Syria
Russia supports the proposal for China to host negotiations between Syrian government and opposition representatives, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"According to Russia’s assessment, the Chinese initiative is in line with this task [Syrian crisis settlement] and could become a significant element in its comprehensive solution," Zakharova told reporters.
China is one of 20 regional and world powers, known collectively as the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which has renewed the political push for collective Syrian crisis settlement efforts this fall and winter.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said after the ISSG met in New York plans to invite Syrian government and opposition delegates to China to advance the political process.
Oil smuggling in Turkey
#Zakharova: Our information about #ISIS oil smuggled via #Turkey has been confirmed by Norwegian sources pic.twitter.com/9Zmn23qxGC
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) December 24, 2015
Moscow is curious if Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will actually resign after information published in Norway on oil smuggling to Turkey by the Islamic State, known as Daesh in the Arab world and prohibited in a range of countries including Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"I would like to remind you that not too long ago, Turkish President Erdogan announced his readiness to resign if it is proven that oil deliveries by Ankara or with the help of the government of Ankara from the terrorist group [are taking place], that ‘if this fact is proven, I’ll leave this chair,’ Erdogan told journalists on the sidelines of the climate summit in Paris. I’d like to understand: What’s up with that chair?" Zakharova said during her weekly briefing.
Russia is implementing all measures in countering oil smuggling by the Islamic State terrorist organization, known as Daesh in the Arab world and prohibited in a range of countries including Russia, and hopes that other countries will join in cooperating with Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"As you know, and we’ve said this constantly, Russia is implementing measures in order to stop and close the paths of oil deliveries by terrorists. We hope for active actual cooperation with other countries in these goals," Zakharova said during her weekly briefing.
On anti-Russian sanctions
The United States seeks to infringe upon Russian interests by expanding sanctions against Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"We see no reasonable logic in these steps. The US political establishment seems to be motivated only by a desire to <…> make trouble for Russia," Zakharova told reporters.
The United States seeks to infringe upon Russian interests by expanding sanctions against Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
Q&A session
Answering the question about future of the Russian-Turkish relations, Zakharova noted that current crisis focused on the leadership, not the Turkish people.
Moscow is focusing on the worsening relations between Russia and Turkey, the latter of which is souring the situation in "7-league steps," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists.
"So far we see that the Turkish leadership is only making the situation worse and doing this using 7-league steps," Zakharova said during her weekly briefing.
Answering the question on civilans' deaths in Syria, Zakharova said that Russia is disclosing full information about its targets in Syria.
