Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented on the progress of the peace talks in Abu Dhabi, effectively dampening expectations for a quick outcome. His statement came amid calls by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha to intensify diplomatic efforts and move to a meeting at the leaders’ level. This was reported by Informator and the PromPolitInform portal.
In comments to Russian media, Lavrov emphasized that the negotiation process is far from complete, and Russian citizens should not place excessive hopes on US President Donald Trump’s pressure on Ukraine and the European Union.
“This is all well and good if we want to achieve peace in Ukraine, but we are not there yet. Negotiations are ongoing; the second round took place in Abu Dhabi, and there is still a long way to go,” Lavrov emphasized.
The statement by the Russian Foreign Minister once again demonstrated the radically different approaches of the parties to the negotiations. Ukraine publicly advocates accelerating the process, while Moscow, showing no willingness to end the war, speaks of a long-term perspective and “a great deal of work ahead.”
It has been previously reported that only two key issues of the 20-point plan remain unresolved: the status of the temporarily occupied territories and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. These are considered the most complex and politically sensitive.
At the same time, Politico noted that the negotiations in Abu Dhabi differed from previous rounds in their more constructive tone. According to journalists, this is due to the renewed composition of the Ukrainian delegation: the new head of the Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, and the head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia, who had previously worked through informal channels, have officially joined. As a result, Kyiv has switched to a one-vote format, while Russia has replaced traditional diplomats with representatives of the military bloc.
Russia is attempting to return to the terms of the Alaska talks.
The day before, Moscow announced progress in negotiations to end the war. However, they traditionally emphasized that peace is only possible if certain agreements are implemented. These, according to the Kremlin, were reached during the Anchorage talks.
Lavrov’s rhetoric regarding the talks contrasts with his other statements. Specifically, he claimed that Russia is not planning an attack on Europe, declaring its readiness to use “all available military means” in the event of a Western threat. American intelligence, in turn, reports the Kremlin’s intentions to reassert control over former Soviet republics, including NATO countries.
Furthermore, Lavrov stated that the US position is of fundamental importance to Moscow, while the opinions of Ukraine and its European partners, he asserted, are irrelevant. The Russian Foreign Minister stated that Russia had hoped for broad cooperation with the United States after the meeting between Putin and Donald Trump in Anchorage, but in practice, relations have worsened. He claimed that the White House is allegedly unwilling to implement previously announced initiatives regarding Ukraine and is attempting to suppress economic competitors.
