Russian FM: Zelenskyy has no role in deciding peace talks

The question of whether negotiations with Russia will be pursued to resolve the conflict is not one for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to decide, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated.

In an interview with journalist Marina Kim for the New World project, Lavrov responded to a question about whether there is an understanding that no peace agreement can be reached with Zelenskyy, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

He recalled remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the matter.

"President Putin has repeatedly stated that we have never refused to negotiate. It is clear that it will not be Zelenskyy who decides this," Lavrov said.

He further emphasized that there has been an attempt to distort the narrative: "We are being called to negotiations, but they are trying to turn everything around, claiming that Ukraine wants talks and Russia refuses. Putin has repeatedly said that if Zelenskyy truly wanted peace, he would at least cancel the decree from two years ago that forbids negotiations with Putin’s government. I won’t elaborate further," Lavrov concluded.

Lavrov also addressed Russia's willingness to engage with the United States during the presidency of Donald Trump, noting that the initiative for such interactions would come from the American side.

"President Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club that he is always ready to communicate. It was not us who interrupted him — the ball is on the other side," Lavrov remarked in response to a related question.

He made it clear that Russia was not building expectations from the incoming US administration but would assess actions on a case-by-case basis. "There will be no expectations or guessing. We will judge based on concrete steps," the Minister added.

In related news, it was reported that Donald Trump’s team had begun discussing a plan to end the Ukrainian conflict. According to sources, the proposed plan involves freezing the front lines and establishing a demilitarized zone, although it remains unclear who would ensure its security.

American media have noted that the proposed plan aligns with ideas previously mentioned by JD Vance in early autumn. According to Vance, Trump would suggest that Russia, Ukraine, and Europe negotiate a peaceful settlement independently.

Earlier, JD Vance had shared his vision for how Trump might approach ending the conflict during an appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast.

Trump has repeatedly stated that if he wins the election, he could bring the conflict in Ukraine to an end.

This stance was voiced even before the election, during a televised debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. When asked whether he wanted Ukraine to win, Trump emphasized that his primary goal was to stop the fighting to save human lives. He also stated that the US has a vested interest in resolving the conflict: "In my opinion, the most important thing for us is to end the conflict and reach an agreement, to agree on a deal."

Trump also criticized current US President Joe Biden for his lack of direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin, pointing out, "He hasn’t even had a phone call with Putin or anybody at all in the past two years. They’re not even trying to do that. This conflict should have been resolved long ago," Trump stressed.

By Tamilla Hasanova