Lavrov: US-Russia peace talks “Not Easy”

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov acknowledged that peace talks with the United States over the war in Ukraine remain difficult.

Speaking to Kommersant, Lavrov confirmed that core issues are being discussed, stating, “It isn’t easy to agree the key components of a settlement.”

Lavrov reiterated Russia’s conditions for any agreement, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from NATO aspirations and relinquishment of Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—territories claimed by Moscow. “We're talking about the rights of the people who live on these lands,” he asserted.

“We cannot give them up.”

He also ruled out any return to economic reliance on the West, emphasizing that a ceasefire must be contingent on halting Western military aid and easing sanctions.

His remarks followed a nearly five-hour meeting in St. Petersburg last week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The talks examined terms for a ceasefire and a broader settlement framework.

Witkoff, speaking to Fox News on Monday, confirmed that Putin expressed openness to pursuing “a permanent peace.” He said the discussions focused on five disputed regions—understood to be Crimea and parts of eastern and southern Ukraine—and also addressed NATO’s collective defense provisions.

“These talks are about the so-called five territories,” Witkoff explained, “but there’s much more to it.” He added that the dialogue could potentially open avenues for future US-Russia economic cooperation.