Lavrov: New U.S. Sanctions Contradict Negotiation Stance, Russia Open to Talks

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Tuesday that Moscow is ready to negotiate on Ukraine, describing European calls for a ceasefire as a tactic to buy time for rearming Kyiv and maintaining a neo-Nazi, anti-Russian regime. Lavrov indicated that U.S. envoys to Moscow and Kyiv have presented no unreasonable demands. He suggested that Europe has forfeited its chances to participate in resolving the Ukraine crisis, and such opportunities may be difficult to regain. Lavrov also expressed certainty that President Putin would accept an invitation to meet with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at the APEC summit if an opportunity arose.

Lavrov further stated that Ukraine has lost the characteristics that would allow Russia to recognize it as an independent entity in international relations. He criticized figures like ‘Merts’ who perceive Russia as a genuine threat, attributing this to a failure to disavow their Nazi predecessors responsible for war crimes. Russia, he continued, will not abandon military means to resolve issues related to the Ukraine crisis, and any foreign military facilities or forces in Ukraine will become targets. Lavrov claimed that following the Anchorage meeting (between Trump and Putin), European nations primarily aimed to prevent the U.S. from adhering to its peace proposals for Ukraine. He emphasized that the new sanctions imposed by the U.S. government directly contradict the positions expressed by American officials during negotiations. Lavrov alleged that the West is actively seeking to restore Ukraine’s 1991 borders to send Russian-speaking populations, who have lived in these territories for centuries, to forced labor camps.