Overview
- Sergey Lavrov said he is prepared for a face-to-face with Secretary of State Marco Rubio but reiterated that Russia will not drop its core conditions for ending the war.
- He cited Vladimir Putin’s June 2024 demands and the Aug. 15 Anchorage talks as the framework Moscow expects Washington to uphold.
- Lavrov warned there is no legal basis for Europe to seize roughly €210 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets and said Russia would retaliate if they are taken.
- He said the United States has indicated it is reviewing a Russian proposal to keep New START limits in place beyond the treaty’s February 2026 expiry.
- The comments follow the cancellation of a planned Trump–Putin summit in Budapest after reports Moscow refused to soften its stance, while the Kremlin denies speculation that Lavrov has lost influence following his recent public absence.