Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has once again insisted that Moscow has never pursued territorial conquest in Ukraine.
Instead, he framed Russia’s actions as a defense of Russian-speaking communities who, according to him, have lived in those regions for centuries.
Open to Talks, But on Russia’s Terms
Speaking in an interview with Rossiya 24, Lavrov said Russia is not against negotiations in any form — bilateral, trilateral, or broader.
But he cautioned that summits involving heads of state shouldn’t be rushed for headlines or TV soundbites.
Instead, he stressed, they need thorough preparation, beginning with expert-level talks before moving up step by step.
“Not About Taking Land”
In a separate conversation with VGTRK, Lavrov doubled down on the claim that Russia’s military campaign is not about capturing land.
“We never set out to seize territories — not Crimea, not Donbass, not Novorossiya,” he said.
His argument centers on protecting the rights and security of Russian people in Ukraine.
Lavrov accused President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government of passing laws that stripped away the rights of Russian-speaking citizens.
Recent Diplomatic Moves
Diplomatic contacts have picked up in recent weeks.
On August 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin met former U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, with both leaders calling the talks “useful and productive,” though they offered no concrete agreements.
Just days later, on August 18, Trump hosted Zelensky and several European leaders in Washington, and also had a phone call with Putin.
Following that conversation, the Kremlin refrained from confirming any plans for a Putin–Zelensky meeting but acknowledged that both Moscow and Washington supported direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations — potentially even at a higher representative level.
What Comes Next?
For now, the spotlight remains on whether these renewed contacts will actually open a path toward negotiations, or whether the war of words will continue while the conflict on the ground drags on.
