Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Moscow is prepared to elevate the status of its delegation in peace negotiations with Ukraine. This announcement comes after a summit between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Lavrov explained that the idea was proposed by Putin following a phone call with Trump. The US president was simultaneously engaged in discussions with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and several European leaders at the White House. The foreign minister's comments did not clarify whether the elevated delegation status hinted at potential future talks between Putin and Zelensky.
Lavrov indicated that the new delegation status would involve addressing political aspects of conflict resolution, in addition to military and humanitarian issues. He mentioned that Russia had proposed the formation of three working groups to discuss this agenda during the most recent direct talks with Ukraine, but noted that Kyiv had not yet responded.
Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine have taken place in Istanbul this year, led by presidential advisor Vladimir Medinsky. While these negotiations did not yield breakthroughs on the broader conflict, they did result in prisoner exchanges.
Lavrov's remarks follow the Putin-Trump summit, which both leaders described as constructive, despite the lack of a specific agreement on Ukraine. Trump's subsequent meeting with Zelensky and European leaders concluded with the US president stating that Ukraine's NATO membership was not under consideration and advocating for a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
Putin has not dismissed the possibility of a meeting with Zelensky but has emphasized the need for significant progress in negotiations beforehand. Moscow has also expressed concerns regarding Zelensky's authority to sign binding agreements, given that his presidential term has expired.
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