Moscow: Moscow has expressed openness to reaching a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who spoke Thursday following a rare public criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with CBS News, Lavrov confirmed that Russia is prepared to finalize a peace agreement but acknowledged that certain details still need refinement. “We are ready to make a deal, but there are still specific elements that require fine-tuning. We are actively working on these,” he said.
Lavrov noted that talks with Washington were progressing positively and would continue. He praised Trump, describing him as “perhaps the only global leader who has acknowledged the underlying causes of this conflict.” However, he also mentioned that Trump had not clearly outlined the components of a potential agreement.
The comments came hours after a deadly Russian airstrike on Kyiv killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more — one of the most severe attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent months. In response, Trump took to Truth Social with a direct message to Putin: “I am not happy with the Russian strikes. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!”
Despite longstanding accusations of being sympathetic to Moscow and his criticisms of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump insisted that Russia had already made a significant gesture toward peace. “Stopping short of taking the entire country — that’s a pretty big concession,” he told reporters when asked about Russia’s proposed terms.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s designated envoy for the negotiations, has arrived in Russia on Friday for further ceasefire discussions with President Putin on Saturday.
