Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday that President Vladimir Putin cannot sign a peace agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky because Moscow considers Zelensky “illegitimate.”
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Lavrov stated that a summit between the two leaders is unlikely, adding another obstacle to direct negotiations.
He noted that any potential meeting would require a predetermined “presidential agenda” acceptable to Putin, but noted that such an agenda is currently “not ready at all.”
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Ukraine carried out drone attacks on Russia, sparking a fire at a nuclear power plant, as the country observed its Independence Day amid the ongoing war, now entering its fourth year.
Although U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for a summit between Ukraine and Russia, the prospect of peace waned after Moscow on Friday dismissed the possibility of an immediate meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
But Zelensky said Sunday the “format of talks between leaders is the most effective way forward”, renewing calls for a bilateral summit with Putin, AFP reported.
Lavrov earlier accused Western countries of seeking “a pretext to block negotiations” and slammed Zelensky for “demanding an immediate meeting at all costs”.
As the war, which has already taken tens of thousands of lives, continues, Russia recently reported new gains, including the capture of two villages in eastern Donetsk on Saturday.
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In response, Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, announced Sunday that Ukrainian forces had recaptured three other villages in the same region, which has become central to ongoing peace discussions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Independence Day drone strikes reached into Russian territory, with one drone intercepted near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia.
Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
President Putin has consistently rejected appeals from Ukraine and Western nations for an immediate ceasefire.
Moscow considers Zelensky ‘illegitimate.’
The conflict has displaced millions and left widespread devastation across towns and cities in eastern and southern Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)