Lavrov Says Moscow Sees Washington as Recognizing ‘Realities on the Ground’ in Ukraine Talks
Dragon Media News Desk
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Moscow believes the current US approach to the Ukraine conflict reflects greater recognition of what Russia describes as the “realities on the ground,” while diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington continue following recent visits by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Speaking on Channel One’s The Great Game programme on September 8, Lavrov declined to disclose details beyond what Russian officials had already made public about the envoys’ talks with President Vladimir Putin. He said Russia’s diplomatic practice is generally to limit public comments to information that has officially been released.
Lavrov also cautioned against speculation over what Witkoff and Kushner brought to Moscow and later carried to Kyiv. He said the US side had not publicly outlined any further diplomatic steps. Referring to statements attributed to French officials about the possible resumption of direct talks involving the United States after elections to Russia’s State Duma, Lavrov said Moscow had not confirmed such claims.
According to Lavrov, the substance of the current dialogue is connected to the position on Ukraine that President Donald Trump outlined after returning to the White House. He identified two elements that Moscow considers particularly significant: opposition to efforts to bring Ukraine into NATO and recognition of the existing realities created by the conflict.
Lavrov stressed that, from Moscow’s perspective, those “realities” are not solely about territory. He linked them to the political views of people in Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson and to referendums held in those regions. Ukraine and many Western governments reject the legality of those referendums and continue to regard the territories concerned as part of Ukraine under internationally recognized borders.
The Russian foreign minister also repeated Moscow’s long-standing argument that Russian-speaking communities in Donbass faced discrimination and repression following the political upheaval in Ukraine in 2014. He said Russia views questions of language, culture and identity as central to any future settlement. Ukrainian authorities and Western governments dispute Moscow’s account and maintain that sovereignty and territorial integrity remain fundamental principles in resolving the conflict.
Lavrov said the Russian side sees the Trump administration’s approach to NATO membership and battlefield realities as more pragmatic than previous Western positions. He added that the fact that US representatives continue to address these issues in direct contacts with Russian officials has produced what he described as a positive response in Moscow and strengthened Russia’s willingness to continue talks.
The latest comments come amid renewed diplomatic activity involving Witkoff and Kushner’s visits to Moscow and Kyiv, followed by a telephone conversation between Putin and Trump. Together, these developments suggest that direct Russia-US communication on Ukraine remains active.
However, major questions remain unresolved. No detailed public agreement has emerged on territorial issues, security guarantees, Ukraine’s future security status, or the conditions for a ceasefire. For now, the latest Russian statements indicate continued engagement with Washington, but not yet a clearly defined framework for a final settlement.
