A statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov concerning potential security guarantors for Ukraine derailed discussions between Moscow and Washington. The Kremlin might attempt to lower the level of the bilateral meeting.
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s declaration that Russia, China, and the US could serve as security guarantors for Ukraine effectively stalled the talks between Moscow and Washington. Bloomberg reports this, citing an unnamed European official, as relayed by UNN.
Деталі
According to this source, the Kremlin may now try to convince the White House to abandon its insistence on security guarantees for Ukraine and lower the level of the meeting involving Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “to encounters with lower-tier officials, to prevent new US sanctions”.
Several senior European officials and diplomats, wishing to remain anonymous, indicated they interpret Lavrov’s remarks as an effort to impede progress, expressing skepticism about Putin’s preparedness to finalize an accord. Trump is insisting that a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting for direct talks be the subsequent stage in the US endeavor to end the war, now in its fourth year.
– the article states.
The authors note that Lavrov, in his statement, reiterated a longstanding stance that Moscow’s security interests must be considered in any resolution. Russia has repeatedly stated that Ukraine should renounce NATO membership aspirations and adopt neutral status. It has also rejected any NATO troop presence on Ukrainian soil.
“This raises doubts about whether Moscow made concessions during Putin’s meeting with Trump—as the US claims—or whether the US delegation might have misinterpreted Putin’s openness to security assurances for Ukraine,” the publication concludes.
Нагадаємо
Recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that security matters cannot be resolved without the Russian Federation, characterizing dialogue lacking Russian participation as “utopian and a dead end”.
Prior to this, Lavrov specified that Putin is prepared to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Such a meeting could occur provided agenda items are thoroughly prepared and warrant top-level consideration.
