Russian FM: High-level meeting should put serve as final step in negotiations on Ukraine

Russia is open to continuing negotiations with Ukraine in any format, but a potential high-level summit should serve as the final step in the process, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Wednesday, Report informs, citing Russian media.

“We are ready for any formats. However, when it comes to top-level meetings [between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine], they must be thoroughly prepared at all prior stages to ensure that such summits do not worsen the situation, but rather conclude the negotiations we are ready to pursue,” Lavrov stated.

He added that during a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed not only continuing talks with Ukraine but also considering an upgrade in the rank of delegation leaders.

Lavrov emphasized that Russia cannot accept a situation in which collective security issues related to the Ukraine crisis are discussed without Moscow’s participation, calling such a scenario “utopian.”