In an interview with NBC News, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that «Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda is ready for the summit», but added that Moscow does not consider these conditions met, unlike the White House, which stated that such plans are already being implemented.
According to Lavrov, Trump proposed points, some of which Moscow agreed to, showing flexibility. In Washington, with Zelensky and Europeans, Trump emphasized the absence of NATO membership and negotiations on territory. Zelensky rejected everything, including the repeal of the law on the Russian language, the Foreign Minister reported.
He also clarified that Putin made it clear that he is ready to meet, but on the condition that this meeting will indeed have a presidential agenda and Moscow's requirements are met. He suggested that it is Ukraine that is hindering progress towards a peace agreement.
Lavrov added: «He even refused, as I already said, to repeal the law banning the Russian language. How can we meet with a person who pretends to be a leader?».
Ukraine has not outlawed the Russian language, but Putin has long baselessly claimed that Kyiv has orchestrated a genocide of Russian speakers in eastern Donbas. He has also tried to question the legitimacy of Zelensky, who was democratically elected President of Ukraine in 2019.
Photo: AP