Kyiv — Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov declared on August 21, 2025, that President Vladimir Putin is prepared to meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though only after substantive groundwork and clarity over Zelenskyy’s political legitimacy are addressed. Moscow argues that Zelenskyy’s presidential term expired in May 2024 and, with no elections held under martial law, any deal signed by him could lack binding authority, particularly in the context of Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, which has intensified disputes over sovereignty and international recognition.
Lavrov accused Kyiv and Western governments of deliberately obstructing earlier negotiations, particularly the 2022 Istanbul framework, which offered Ukrainian neutrality in return for security guarantees. He insisted that future dialogue must draw on those earlier proposals rather than what he called “ultimatums crafted in NATO capitals.”
Moscow’s conditions for peace include Ukraine abandoning its NATO ambitions, withdrawing from the Donbas, and banning Western military presence on its territory. In exchange, Russia has hinted at freezing current frontlines and considering limited withdrawals from regions such as Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk. Kyiv, however, has dismissed these demands as unacceptable and politically impossible.
Zelenskyy and his allies countered by accusing Russia of actively working to block a summit. Speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, he urged allies to impose tighter sanctions on Moscow unless it shows a genuine willingness to negotiate. The Ukrainian leader also demanded robust Western-backed security guarantees, modeled after NATO’s Article 5, to deter further Russian aggression.
Fresh reporting from The Guardian noted that during Rutte’s unannounced visit to Kyiv, Zelenskyy accused Putin of trying to “wriggle out” of the proposed meeting, saying bluntly that “they don’t want to end this war.” The comments highlight Kyiv’s mounting frustration with what it views as Moscow’s deliberate stalling tactics.
Analysts say the impasse reflects a wider struggle over legitimacy and narrative. While Moscow positions itself as open to dialogue on its own terms, Ukraine and its Western partners are pressing for stronger collective defense commitments under what has been described as a “coalition of the willing.” Without compromise on either side, prospects for meaningful progress toward peace remain remote.
According to Reuters, Lavrov reiterated that no talks will occur unless an agenda is settled in advance, underscoring how mistrust and preconditions continue to define this stage of the conflict.
