Moscow: Russia is ready to seek a negotiated solution to the Ukraine crisis based on understandings reached by the leaders of Russia and the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
He said Russia remains fully committed to the outcomes of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held in the US city of Anchorage, Alaska in August last year, and noted that Moscow expects its interests to be fully taken into account in the process of reaching mutually acceptable agreements with partners open to honest and direct dialogue, Xinhua news agency reported.
Lavrov said Russia would continue to uphold truth and justice in international affairs and promote a multipolar world grounded in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, adding that Moscow would oppose double standards, hidden agendas, imposed settlement formulas, as well as practices of neocolonialism and hegemonism.
The foreign minister also said Russia would prioritize strengthening strategic partnerships with emerging centers of a multipolar world, adding that Russia and like-minded partners would work to accelerate the development of sanctions-resistant mechanisms for trade, investment, financial and logistical cooperation.
The second round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded earlier on Thursday with both sides agreeing to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failing to achieve substantive breakthroughs on core issues such as territorial arrangements and a ceasefire.
According to Ukraine, the talks were conducted trilaterally before moving to group consultations. Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said the Ukrainian delegation sought a “dignified and lasting peace,” without disclosing specific outcomes.
The talks ended with no joint political or security statement, underscoring persistent differences between Russia and Ukraine on key matters, including territorial disputes, ceasefire arrangements, and security guarantees.
US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said representatives from the three countries reached a consensus on a prisoner swap, describing the discussions as “specific and constructive.” He added, however, that greater efforts would be required to advance a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.
Following the talks, Russia and Ukraine conducted their first large-scale prisoner exchange in nearly five months, with each side returning 157 detainees. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those released included both military personnel and civilians.
(IANS)
