Russia Confirms No Current Plans for Putin-Zelensky Meeting Despite U.S. Suggestions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Friday that there are no current plans for a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent assertion that such discussions were forthcoming.

«President Putin has made it clear that he is open to a meeting, but only if there is a meaningful agenda,» Lavrov told NBC’s Meet the Press. «As of now, no meeting is scheduled.»

Trump mentioned during a meeting with Zelensky and European leaders at the White House that arrangements were seemingly being made for a direct meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, potentially to be followed by a trilateral summit including himself.

Putin has previously indicated that he would only agree to meet Zelensky if a preliminary deal to end the conflict had already been established. Lavrov’s comments on Friday appeared to reinforce this position, following several days of ambiguous statements from Moscow that hinted at a willingness to consider the idea but without a firm commitment.

«After the Anchorage meeting, President Trump suggested several points that we agree with, and on some of these, we have shown a willingness to be flexible,» Lavrov remarked, referencing the recent U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska. This meeting was largely viewed as an effort to address Trump’s threats of secondary tariffs against Russia if it did not comply with a swift resolution of the conflict.

Lavrov further claimed that the White House and the Kremlin shared some common negotiating positions, including Trump’s opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership and the belief that Kyiv should be prepared to concede some territory to Russia.

«Zelensky rejected everything, even dismissing the legislation that bans the Russian language,» Lavrov commented about this week’s discussions at the White House, where Trump and Zelensky met with leaders from a «Coalition of the Willing,» spearheaded by France and Britain. «How can we engage with someone who is not genuinely leading?»

Trump has consistently stated that Ukraine should not be granted NATO membership and should contemplate territorial concessions as part of a resolution. However, conflicting statements regarding a possible meeting between Putin and Zelensky, as well as regarding Western security guarantees for Ukraine, have sparked speculation about a potential disconnect between U.S. and Russian perspectives.

Zelensky, who indicated earlier this week a willingness to meet with Putin, expressed on Thursday a desire for more clarity on Western security guarantees before committing to a summit with Putin. Lavrov, in turn, stressed that Moscow should have a significant say in any discussions, complicating what Western allies might be willing to offer Kyiv.

On Thursday, Trump told conservative news host Todd Starnes that he would know «within two weeks» if there was any progress being made in the ongoing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. «After that, we may need to explore a different approach,» he added.