Putins Openness to Zelensky Meeting Hinges on Preparation Time, Says Lavrov

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that President Vladimir Putin is open to a meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. He pointed out, however, that organizing high-level summits requires time, even as European leaders suggested that such discussions could happen within the upcoming two weeks.

“We’re not rejecting any format for dialogue, whether it’s bilateral or trilateral. The president has reiterated this,” Lavrov told state broadcaster Rossia 24. His comments followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that preparations were in progress for a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, with Trump mentioning that a trilateral session, which would include himself, was also planned.

The Kremlin has not yet verified whether the organization of such a summit has commenced, only providing a vague remark about “considering the possibility” of conducting high-level “direct discussions” with Ukraine after a Monday phone call between Trump and Putin.

This conversation took place after Trump concluded a positive multilateral meeting with European leaders and Zelensky at the White House, during which he suggested that Ukraine might receive security assurances as part of a possible peace agreement with Russia.

Zelensky expressed on Monday his readiness to meet with Putin.

Previously, Moscow had dismissed the idea of direct discussions with Zelensky, citing a decree from 2022 that formally prohibits negotiations with Putin. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously to Politico Europe earlier this year, indicated that the decree was intended to “prevent Ukrainian politicians from independently negotiating with Russia,” though it does not bar Zelensky from personally engaging with Putin.

“Any contact involving top leaders must be meticulously prepared,” Lavrov stated during his interview with state media on Tuesday, despite the fact that Russia and the U.S. recently held a hastily arranged summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska.

At the White House on Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin is anticipated by the end of August.

Lavrov also took the opportunity to criticize Ukraine’s language policies, claiming they infringe upon the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians, and condemned Kyiv’s European allies for ignoring alleged human rights violations in Ukraine.

Concurrently, the Russian foreign minister commended Trump and his administration for aligning more closely with Putin’s push to tackle the “root causes” of Russia’s invasion, citing the atmosphere at Friday’s Alaska summit as “very good.”

Lavrov has previously characterized NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe following the Soviet Union’s collapse and Ukraine’s purported “anti-Russian” policies as the “root causes” of the conflict. He emphasized that any peace arrangement must consider Russia’s national security interests.

“Without acknowledging Russia’s security concerns and fully respecting the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking individuals residing in Ukraine, no long-term agreements can be contemplated,” he asserted.