Russia: 'What is it for?' - Zakharova questions France, Germany joining Idlib talks

W/S Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova arriving for press conference
M/S Journalists
SOT, Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson (Russian): "On the territory of this state [Syria], attention remains on Idlib. It has become the bastion of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group. One of the main reasons for the degradation of the situation is, in our opinion, the failure to comply with the Russian-Turkish memorandum of September 17, 2018. Despite the introduction of a ceasefire on January 9, militants continued shelling nearby settlements and positions of government troops."
M/S Journalists
SOT, Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson (Russian): "The consultations are currently underway, they, I think, will continue for several days. The joining of other countries, especially countries that, to tell you the truth hardly played a decisive role in the situation on the ground, a question rises: what is it for, is such a move necessary? We are ready and open to various initiatives, but they should be justified somehow."
M/S Journalist asking question *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson (Russian): "The whole world qualified the Assange case as a blow to the institute of investigative journalism, as a blow to free independent media, as a catastrophic blow to basic human rights. Such punitive measures against a journalist in the 21st century are an absolutely unacceptable practice and total disgrace for the Western countries involved in this, which consider themselves democratic and free."
W/S Zakharova
SCRIPT
Moscow believes there is no need to invite Germany and France to the Russia-Turkey talks on Idlib, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at her weekly briefing in Moscow on Thursday.
"The joining of other countries, especially countries that, to tell you the truth hardly played a decisive role in the situation on the ground, a question arises: what is it for, is such a move necessary?" said Zakharova.
She added that Moscow is "ready and open to various initiatives, but they should be justified somehow."
Speaking about the situation on the ground in Idlib, the spokesperson said that "one of the main reasons for the degradation of the situation is, in our opinion, is the failure to comply with the Russian-Turkish memorandum of September 17, 2018."
Zakharova went on to discuss the ongoing extradition case against whistleblower Julian Assange in a London court.
She stated that the "whole world" considered the case as a "blow to the institute of investigative journalism, as a blow to free independent media, as a catastrophic blow to basic human rights."
"Such punitive measures against a journalist in the 21st century are an absolutely unacceptable practice and total disgrace for the Western countries involved in this, which consider themselves democratic and free," concluded Zakharova.