Russian FM Sergei Lavrov said no Putin–Zelensky summit is planned, despite U.S. efforts to arrange one.
He called the proposed agenda “not ready at all” and criticised White House and European attempts as “clumsy.”
The remarks dampened hopes for talks to end the four-year war, even as Russia launched one of its largest air raids.
‘No Meeting Planned’: Lavrov Rules Out Putin–Zelensky Meet
Russian FM says summit agenda ‘not ready at all’, criticises U.S. and European push for talks. Despite U.S. attempts, Moscow signals no urgency for peace talks as war enters fourth year.
Summary
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there was "no meeting planned" between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, despite U.S. attempts to organise the summit.
"There is no meeting planned," Lavrov said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker"
According to AP, after welcoming President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his European partners to the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the leaders had agreed to meet, boosting hopes for a speedy summit.
According to Lavrov, Russian President Vladimir Putin was "ready to meet Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit," but he added that it was "not ready at all" while speaking to the American channel.
Lavrov, who sided with Putin at a conference in Alaska last week, criticised the White House meeting earlier this week as a "clumsy" attempt by Europeans to alter the U.S. leader's stance on Ukraine.
And by casting doubt on the legitimacy of the Ukrainian president and restating Russia's maximalist assertions, he shattered expectations for a Putin-Zelensky meeting to end the conflict, which is now in its fourth year, on Friday.
"There are several principles which Washington believes must be accepted, including no NATO membership, including the discussion of territorial issues, and Zelenskyy said no to everything," said Lavrov, according to AP.
NBC reported that after Trump met with Putin in Alaska and then met with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington, the White House has been trying to arrange a summit venue and date. However, Russia has made it clear that it is not in a rush to see Putin one-on-one. On Thursday, it unleashed one of its largest aircraft raids of the war, striking targets throughout Ukraine, including an electronics company in the United States.
Published At: