Bangladesh and Russia have said there will be no impact on Dhaka-Moscow relations following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
"We hope that it'll not impact," Russian Ambassador Alexander Mantytskiy said on Thursday while replying to a question at DCAB Talk.
He hoped that Bangladesh-Russia relations will improve.
Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) organised the event - DCAB Talk.
Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said that Bangladesh's position is always against any war and they will discuss ways to end the war during the Munich Security Conference.
"We are always against the war. That's our position. We want peace and stability in the world," he told reporters while briefing the media on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Germany.
The foreign minister said they will discuss global security issues as the ongoing conflicts in the world pose security threats for all.
In Germany, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, the foreign minister said.
The Ukrainian President sought the appointment for a meeting with PM Hasina, he said.
Asked what will be discussed during her meeting with the Ukrainian President, the foreign minister said there will be discussion on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
A journalist wanted to know whether there will be any impact on the Bangladesh-Russia relations due to PM Hasina’s meeting with the Ukrainian President.
In reply, the foreign minister said there is no such scope as the Bangladesh-Russia relationship and bonding is very strong.
"Russia is a friendly country. Our bonding with Russia is very warm and strong. They stood beside us during the War of Liberation in 1971. We have a historic relationship with Russia," he said.
Bangladesh maintains strong relations with Russia and Bangladesh follows the foreign policy dictum of friendship to all, malice towards none.
The Russian ambassador welcomed Bangladesh's foreign policy and said: "We are not at war with the US. They have their own economic interests; we also have economic relations with Bangladesh."
He clarified Russia's stance on the Zelensky peace formula. Russia had consistently criticised the Zelensky formula for its shortcomings, hypocrisy and lack of connection to reality, he said.
"First, the Zelensky formula consists of a series of ultimatums targeting Russia. They are trying to force us to withdraw from the liberated territories and abandon Russians who voted to reunite with their homeland. Ultimatums of this kind cannot serve as a foundation for launching talks.”
"Second, Ukraine has enacted a legal ban on holding talks with the Russian leadership. As long as this ban remains in place, discussing any proposals will not yield tangible results. Third, discussing a settlement in Ukraine without involving Russia is senseless. Fourth, Kyiv has been pushing the ultimatums contained in the Zelensky formula as the only possible solution with no room for alternatives.”
"Fifth, Zelensky has been bombing civilian sites with cluster munitions in Belgorod, Donetsk and other Russian cities, intentionally killing civilians. The West has been supplying ammunitions to Kyiv, including cluster and depleted uranium bombs, and delivering more weapons, which does nothing but escalate hostilities and prolong the conflict," the ambassador said.
DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib and its General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu also spoke on the occasion.