Lavrov says Rubio’s denial of Anchorage agreement is incorrect

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that the United States’ proposals on Ukraine presented at the August 2023 Anchorage summit were accepted by Russia, and he labelled U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s claim that no agreement was reached as “unpalatable.” Lavrov said the American envoy Steve Vitkof delivered the proposals to Moscow days before the summit, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed their acceptance point‑by‑point during the talks with President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Rubio and Vitkof present.

Rubio countered, stating, “If there had been an agreement, we would have had an end to the war,” and maintained that only a proposal, not a deal, was discussed in Anchorage. The dispute over whether a U.S.–Russia understanding on the Ukraine conflict was ever concluded comes as hostilities continue, with both sides citing the alleged talks in diplomatic rhetoric.