Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he is willing to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in person, but insists that any discussion of the war in Ukraine must take Moscow's interests into account.

Source: Lavrov in an interview with Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "State Secretary Marco Rubio and I understand the importance of regular communication. It is essential for discussing the issue of Ukraine and advancing the bilateral agenda. Therefore, we talk on the phone and are ready to hold face-to-face meetings when necessary."

Details: Lavrov also said the Alaska talks between Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump last summer must remain the basis for any potential agreement to end Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

"At that time, the Americans assured us that they could guarantee that [Ukrainian President] Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not obstruct the peace process. Obviously, there have been certain difficulties in this regard," Lavrov said.

During the interview, the Russian foreign minister repeatedly criticised European leaders, claiming that "Brussels and London are trying to persuade Washington to abandon plans to resolve the crisis by political and diplomatic means and to focus entirely on military pressure on Russia".

Background: Reuters learned unofficially that after the recent phone call between Trump and Putin, the Russians handed the US a private communiqué reiterating its previous maximalist demands for ending the war against Ukraine.

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