Ljubljana - President Borut Pahor said in an interview with current affairs show Studio City last night that the goal of the West was not to change the regime in Russia but to secure a ceasefire, diplomatic negotiations and peace. He stressed Russia must take the first step towards solving the conflict.

"It is very important in any war who has the moral advantage and why. At this point, Russia is behind in that sense, so it must take the first step towards a ceasefire, perhaps even unconditionally," Pahor said.

He believes the West must be very careful when helping Ukraine to restore the diplomatic negotiations and peaceful solution to the dispute and not waste the moral advantage it currently has, also in the international community.

Asked whether the West should agree with the recognition of Crimea and the self-proclaimed republics Donetsk and Luhansk, which Russian President Vladimir Putin will most probably demand at peace talks, Pahor said this depended on Ukraine.

"What will be acceptable for Ukraine and its government and President Zelensky should basically be acceptable also for the West. We must help the Ukrainian government here for a ceasefire to happen as soon as possible and diplomatic negotiations ... that will lead to an agreement," he said.