Moscow – SABA:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Friday that Ukraine has agreed to Moscow’s proposal to resume the Istanbul peace talks, attributing the move to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s insistence.
In remarks reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry and cited by Sputnik, Lavrov said that substantive discussions between Moscow and Washington on the Ukraine issue, ongoing since the beginning of the year, have been highly productive.
He added that the current U.S. administration’s decision to resume direct dialogue aligns with standard diplomatic practice, contrasting it with what he described as the “illogical” disengagement under President Joe Biden.
Lavrov emphasized that progress is mainly due to Washington’s pragmatic approach, unlike European powers whom he accused of pursuing aggressively anti-Russian policies. He said the U.S. appears more willing to consider the root causes of the conflict.
He also expressed encouragement over what he called Washington’s openness to an honest and respectful dialogue, suggesting that any sustainable settlement in Ukraine must be integrated into a broader framework for reliable European security based on a balance of legitimate interests.
Lavrov further noted that if the U.S. objectively assesses what he described as Kyiv’s actions to “eradicate all things Russian,” it would mark an important step toward advancing a resolution to the crisis.