Headline: Russia Rejects Trump‘s Peace Proposal, Insists on Dialogue to Address Ukraine Crisis Root Causes
In an interview with Russian media, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal, stating it doesn’t align with Russia’s interests and opposes President Vladimir Putin’s initiatives. The proposal suggested a 20-year halt to Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and deployment of Western peacekeeping troops.
Lavrov asserts that the introduction of Western troops would only exacerbate the situation, asserting that it would not contribute to a peaceful solution. He criticized the U.S. for continuing to supply Ukraine with weapons and not compelling its allies to retreat.
"Washington could demonstrate its goodwill if it stopped delivering arms to Kyiv, told its satellites to follow suit, and instructed its Ukrainian puppets to halt fire, resume negotiations without any preconditions, and revoke Zelensky’s order prohibiting dialogue with Russia," Lavrov underscored.
Russia’s top diplomat is skeptical about the prospects of a ceasefire at present, labeling it as "a dead end." He emphasizes that any negotiations must be targeted at resolving the core issues underlying the Ukrainian crisis and reflect the reality on the ground.
"Our position on resolving the crisis is well-known and unchanged. We are ready for talks, but they should be aimed at eliminating the root causes and reflect the true situation on the ground," Lavrov added.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Trump had expressed his desire for talks to swiftly end the conflict during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris.
