Comments by Russia\u2019s FM come as Ukraine\u2019s Zelenskyy says security guarantees needed before Putin meeting.<\/p>\n
Russia has said that Ukraine was \u201cnot interested\u201d in a long-term peace deal, accusing it of seeking security guarantees incompatible with Russia\u2019s demands.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ukrainian regime and its representatives comment on the current situation in a very specific way, directly showing that they are not interested in a sustainable, fair, long-term settlement,\u201d Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Lavrov also repeated Russia\u2019s policy that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy \u2013 but only after key issues have previously been worked out by senior officials in what could be a long negotiating process.<\/p>\n
His comments came as Zelenskyy announced he could meet with Putin, but only after his allies agree to security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian attacks once the fighting stops.<\/p>\n
In comments released on Thursday, Zelenskyy also warned that both sides were preparing for further fighting. Russia was building up troops on the southern front line and Ukraine was test-launching a new long-range cruise missile, he said.<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump is trying to end Russia\u2019s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine through talks with Zelenskyy and Putin.<\/p>\n
While he has upended a years-long Western policy of isolating the Russian leader, he has made little tangible progress towards a peace deal.<\/p>\n
Trump said in comments posted on his own social media platform, Truth Social, that the war would have \u201cnever happened\u201d if he was in office at the time of Russia\u2019s invasion.<\/p>\n
\u201cZero chance,\u201d Trump wrote, adding: \u201cInteresting times ahead,\u201d without elaborating further.<\/p>\n
Since Trump returned to the White House in January and began pushing for an end to the fighting, Russian forces have continued to slowly but steadily gain ground<\/a> across the front line.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy, in his comments to reporters, said Ukraine wants to have \u201can understanding of the security guarantees architecture within seven to 10 days\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to understand which country will be ready to do what at each specific moment,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Ukraine allies led by the United Kingdom and France are putting together a military coalition to support the guarantees. Lavrov warned that any deployment of European troops to the country would be \u201cabsolutely unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n Once an outline of the security guarantees is agreed, Trump would like to see a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian leader said.<\/p>\n But any meeting with the Russian leader should be held in a \u201cneutral\u201d European country, he added, ruling out any summit in Moscow.<\/p>\n He also rejected the idea of China playing a role in guaranteeing Ukraine\u2019s security, citing Beijing\u2019s alleged support for Moscow.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy has said the only way to end the war is a meeting with Putin, and has said Trump should be present, too.<\/p>\n