“No format rejected”: Russia’s Lavrov on potential Putin-Zelenskyy talks

Lavrov made the remarks in an interview with Russian journalists, TASS reports.

“We are not rejecting any forms of cooperation — neither bilateral nor trilateral. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated this repeatedly. The key is that any formats should not exist just for headlines, television clips, or social media debates. They must move forward step by step, starting at the expert level and progressing through all necessary stages to prepare for summits. We will always support such a serious approach,” the diplomat said.

Lavrov also praised U.S. President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine, calling them sincere.

• On August 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House, where he was welcomed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders first held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office and then met with European leaders and NATO Secretary General, continuing discussions in a broader format.
• After the talks, Trump said he had started preparations for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump called Putin following the White House meetings.
• Zelenskyy said he was ready for a bilateral meeting with Putin without any preconditions.