Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has outlined the conditions under which a long-anticipated meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might take place, stressing that substantive groundwork must be completed before any such high-level talks are considered. His comments, made on August 21, come as Washington attempts to revive direct dialogue between Moscow and Kiev, with US President Donald Trump pushing for trilateral diplomacy.

In recent days, international diplomacy surrounding the war in Ukraine has accelerated. Following Zelensky’s visit to Washington earlier this week, Trump publicly proposed that the Ukrainian leader and Putin first meet face-to-face before the possibility of convening a broader summit that would include himself. The idea reflects Trump’s growing desire to shape the narrative of potential conflict resolution, but also highlights the fragile and contentious atmosphere that surrounds any talk of negotiations.

Lavrov, however, was quick to point out that Moscow’s conditions for such a meeting remain clear: no summit between the two presidents can occur unless expert-level and ministerial negotiations thoroughly prepare the ground. According to him, Putin “repeatedly said that he is ready to meet, including with Zelensky, if there is understanding that all issues that require consideration at the highest level have been worked out thoroughly.”

This insistence underscores Russia’s approach of prioritizing substance over symbolism. The Kremlin has long accused Kiev of staging diplomatic overtures merely for public relations purposes, rather than engaging in the difficult compromises necessary for a durable settlement.

Lavrov also........

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