Shafaq News – Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only after thorough groundwork by ministers and experts, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Lavrov emphasized that Putin has repeatedly expressed readiness for talks — including with Zelenskyy — provided that all key issues are carefully examined and prepared at the highest level.

“Before any future agreements can be signed, the legitimacy of the Ukrainian representative must first be resolved,” Lavrov asserted, referencing ongoing concerns in Moscow over Zelenskyy’s legal mandate, where the Ukrainian president has not yet revoked a decree he issued three years ago that explicitly bans negotiations with Putin.

Lavrov accused Zelenskyy of avoiding serious negotiations, claiming he has chosen instead to stage “theatrical performances like those he once delivered in university theater and in the Kvartal 95 comedy troupe before entering politics.”

Earlier, US President Donald Trump remarked that the responsibility for ending the war in Ukraine rests squarely with Putin and Zelenskyy, arguing that the United States is too far removed from the battlefield to dictate a solution.