Lavrov says Russia open to Ukraine talks but firm on Donbas, reaffirms Alaska summit commitments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow is ready to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine, picking up from the point where talks were last halted. He emphasized that Russia remains open to dialogue but will not change its core demand for the remaining part of the Donbas region, which Kyiv continues to reject.

Lavrov also repeated that Russia is bound by the points reached at the August summit in Alaska between President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Those points, described by Russian officials as the “spirit of Anchorage,” envision Ukrainian forces withdrawing from occupied territories in exchange for a freeze of the front line elsewhere. The Kremlin expressed gratitude for U.S. envoys, noting they are currently occupied with Middle‑East issues but will re‑engage when available. Kyiv has repeatedly stated it will not cede any territory to Russia.