Without Russian Input, Western Security Talks for Ukraine Are a Futile Endeavor, Says Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed to reporters on Wednesday that any discussions surrounding Western security guarantees for Ukraine that exclude Moscow would be «a futile endeavor» and would not tackle what Russia considers the «fundamental issues» of the conflict.

«I firmly believe that in the West, particularly in the U.S., they are fully aware that engaging in serious dialogue about security assurances without Russia is a fantasy — an unproductive path,» Lavrov asserted, emphasizing that Russia intends to persist in «protecting its legitimate interests.»

His statements were made as senior military officials from NATO’s 32 member nations conducted a virtual meeting to deliberate on security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

U.S. President Donald Trump, following a high-stakes summit with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday, indicated that Vladimir Putin is open to some form of guarantees for Ukraine.

Focus is now shifting to the specific commitments that Ukraine’s allies in the West are willing to make to safeguard the country’s security post-war, amid concerns about a possible renewed Russian aggression. Trump hinted that U.S. support could extend to air defense systems, though he dismissed the idea of deploying American troops.

The conversation surrounding the deployment of French and British troops has resurfaced, but the British government seems to be backtracking, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer stating that it’s “premature” to discuss sending British forces to the front lines on Tuesday.

Since assuming office in January, Trump has consistently advocated for a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine, promising to end it by the first day of his presidency. However, he acknowledged earlier this week that the ongoing conflict, now in its fourth year, has become significantly more challenging to resolve than he initially expected.

The immediate aim for the American president in facilitating an end to the war is to organize a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin.

While Zelensky confirmed on Monday his willingness to meet with Putin, the Kremlin has not yet indicated whether it is actively planning such a summit. Instead, senior officials in Moscow have issued vague statements implying they are generally open to the idea but not ready to commit to specifics.

In this context, Lavrov reiterated some points from his earlier comments, asserting that Putin has consistently shown a willingness to meet Zelensky face-to-face, despite having rejected such an offer in May and previously questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy as president.

«After his phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump the day before yesterday, our president, Vladimir Putin, suggested not only to continue these discussions but also to consider elevating the level of the delegation heads,» Lavrov told reporters on Wednesday.

«We are open to any formats. However, when it comes to high-level meetings, they must be meticulously prepared at every stage beforehand to ensure that summits do not exacerbate the situation but instead yield a genuine conclusion to the negotiations we are ready to pursue,» he added.

Lavrov also critiqued the European leaders who visited the White House earlier in the week alongside Zelensky, describing their efforts as «clumsy attempts» to influence Trump and accusing them of lacking constructive suggestions.

The West’s «confrontational stance, a stance that favors prolonging the war, does not resonate with the current U.S. administration, which seeks to address the ‘root causes’ of the conflict,» he noted, referencing NATO’s expansion eastward following the Soviet Union’s collapse and Ukraine’s purportedly «anti-Russian» policies.