Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia disagrees with an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, emphasizing that during the summit in Alaska, US President Donald Trump had also stressed that “what is needed is a lasting and sustainable peace, not a temporary truce.”
Read: Rubio-Lavrov communication: Next steps to end the war in Ukraine on the “table”
Lavrov added that “Russia remains committed to this position,” something which, as he said, he also confirmed in his recent communication with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Tass agency.
The head of Russian diplomacy also mentioned that he and Rubio agreed to maintain an open communication channel, within the framework of preparing for the summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which is expected to take place in Budapest. Their phone conversation took place on Monday, following instructions from both leaders, aimed at coordinating the next steps toward a stable peace agreement.
“No date yet for Trump-Putin summit,” says the Kremlin
No date has yet been agreed for the announced face-to-face meeting between the presidents of the United States and Russia, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which could take place in Budapest, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“The countries that make up the EU and NATO are working to prevent everything. There is no issue that doesn’t interest them, except how to harm Russia, undermine our positions and make it difficult for us to solve the problems we face. This is the sole objective of every EU policy. It is the most destructive force on the international stage. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that they engage in all kinds of sabotage. We are ready for this and know how to deal with it,” stated Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov when asked by TASS about the risk of canceling the Trump-Putin meeting.
“Postponement of Rubio-Lavrov meeting”
The anticipated meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov has been temporarily suspended, a White House official told CNN. It was not immediately clear why the meeting will no longer take place this week, although one source indicated that Rubio and Lavrov have different expectations regarding the potential end of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
