Lavrov condemns Zelensky leaking secretive discussions
(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for publicly disclosing details of sensitive negotiations, which he argued should remain confidential until finalized. Speaking in an interview with CBS News on Thursday, Lavrov emphasized that Russia would not share information about its talks with the US over the Ukraine conflict until an agreement is reached.
“We are respectful participants in negotiations,” Lavrov said. “We do not publicly discuss ongoing talks, unlike others.” He further suggested that anyone seeking specifics about the peace proposal should “ask Zelensky,” who, according to Lavrov, “talks to anyone, including President Trump, through the media.”
Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s willingness to consider a peace deal but made it clear that only serious, private discussions would be entertained. When asked about the status of the negotiations, he said they are still ongoing and that the content remains confidential.
He noted that US President Donald Trump believes progress is being made and added that while a deal is possible, some aspects still require negotiation. “We are currently working on those remaining issues,” Lavrov explained.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to discuss restarting direct negotiations with Ukraine. Trump later said the three-hour meeting had gone well and that the sides were “very close” to reaching a deal, despite unresolved differences.
The US proposal reportedly includes recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, freezing the conflict along the current front, informal acknowledgment of Russian control over four additional Ukrainian regions, and halting Ukraine’s NATO ambitions. In return, sanctions on Russia would be gradually lifted.
However, Zelensky publicly rejected any recognition of Crimea as Russian and reaffirmed his approach of increasing sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Moscow. Trump has blamed Zelensky’s public remarks for disrupting the negotiation process and warned that continued delays could result in Ukraine losing even more ground.
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