The UK, other major European powers and even Ukraine itself should not be involved in peace negotiations, according to an adviser to Vladimir Putin.
Nikolai Patrushev said only the US and Russia should be involved in any ceasefire deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
“I believe that negotiations on Ukraine should be conducted between Russia and the United States without the participation of other Western countries,” he told the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.
“There is nothing to talk about with London and Brussels.”
Analysis: Why Lavrov was tight-lipped on peace
Moscow journalist Ivor Bennett has given his thoughts on Sergei Lavrov’s news conference this morning.
Ukraine and Donald Trump came up on several occasions, but the Russia foreign minister either kept his answers vague or repeated longstanding Russian claims.
Bennett speculates about why there was such a lack of detail.
“Firstly, Russia, like everyone else, is in a bit of a holding pattern right now until Donald Trump actually takes office next week – they know everything is about to change, but they don’t know exactly how,” he says.
“I think the second reason is because Russia doesn’t want to weaken its negotiating position.”
Bennett says Moscow believes it is in a stronger position for any discussions because it has the upper hand on the battlefield, and “therefore it doesn’t want to be seen or heard to be talking about compromises”, he adds.
“But I think in reality, both sides will have to make concessions if there is to be a successful agreement here.”
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