Putin and Zelensky meeting not happening, says Russia’s Lavrov, citing unresolved agenda despite mounting US and European diplomatic pressure
Putin and Zelensky meeting plans appear to have collapsed once again, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed there is no summit scheduled between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
Also read: Zelensky Urges Global Unity Against Russian Deception Ahead of Berlin Talks
“There is no meeting planned,” Lavrov told NBC’s Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, addressing reports of renewed diplomatic efforts by the United States to bring both presidents to the table.
US President Donald Trump had previously suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were open to a meeting after Zelensky’s recent visit to the White House alongside European leaders.
The statement sparked optimism for direct talks.
However, Lavrov downplayed those hopes, explaining that while President Putin remains “ready to meet Zelensky when the agenda would be ready,” he stressed that “it is not ready at all.”
Earlier in the week, Lavrov had criticized the Zelensky–White House meeting, describing it as a “clumsy” effort by European powers to sway President Trump away from agreements reached with Putin at their recent Alaska summit.
On Friday, Lavrov doubled down, questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy and reiterating Moscow’s long-standing demands—including Ukraine’s non-membership in NATO and negotiations on contested territories. Zelensky has rejected both conditions outright.
Also read: Putin Praises North Korean Troops as “Heroic” in Bold Show of Alliance
“There are several principles which Washington believes must be accepted, including no NATO membership, including the discussion of territorial issues, and Zelensky said no to everything,” Lavrov stated.
