Russian President Vladimir Putin "is ready to meet" with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky "provided this summit truly has substantial content" and that a corresponding work program "is ready. And at the moment, that is not the case at all."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this in an interview with US TV channel NBC, confirming that no meeting is currently scheduled . "Putin," Lavrov added, "received a call from President Trump after the meeting and clearly stated that he is ready to continue the direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations that began in Istanbul."
"We suggested," Lavrov added, "raising the level of the delegations that have met and will meet in Istanbul to address specific issues that need to be brought to the attention of President Putin and Zelensky."
After Putin and Donald Trump's meeting in Alaska, he added, Trump "proposed several points that we agree with, and on some of them we agreed to show some flexibility." Afterward, when Trump "brought these points to the summit in Washington, with Zelensky present and supported by his European sponsors, he clearly and unequivocally indicated to everyone that there are certain principles that Washington considers essential. Among these, no NATO membership and the discussion of territorial issues. And Zelensky said no to everything. He even said no to the repeal of the laws banning the use of the Russian language."
(Unioneonline)