Lavrov Debunks Western Lies About the Ukraine Negotiations Process

Aug. 25—In the course of a 53-minute interview with the American journalist Kristen Welker, which was broadcast on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Aug. 24, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov systematically demolished all of the constructs and outright lies that the Western media—and many governments—have concocted to try to derail the results of the historic Aug. 15 summit meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska.

In response to Welker’s opening attempt at a “gotcha” question—“Has President Putin committed to a one-on-one meeting with President Zelenskyy?”—Lavrov responded in good English:

“Well, those are the speculations which are being spread by, first of all, Mr. Zelenskyy himself and his European sponsors. It was not discussed in Anchorage. It was raised later as something which is kind of impromptu, appearing from the meeting in Washington between President Trump and his guests…. [Putin] said that meetings at the top level, the summit meetings, especially between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, must be very well prepared, so a preparatory process must be agreed….

“When Mr. Zelenskyy says the immediate priority is a meeting with Putin, well, it’s basically a game. A game he is very good to play because he wants theatrics in everything, he is doing…. The Ukrainians and the Europeans who attended the meeting in Washington, they try to distort what was discussed in Anchorage between President Trump and President Putin regarding, in particular, the security guarantees.”

Without pausing to allow Welker to regain her composure, Lavrov continued:

“I read some Bloomberg reports yesterday and today saying that the negotiations between the U.S. and Russia on security guarantees for Ukraine have been, in fact, undermined because of the demands by Moscow to include the principle of indivisible security. It’s a very telling statement.

“Indivisible security is something which was enshrined in many documents adopted by consensus at summits of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, in particular in Istanbul in 1999, and in Astana in 2010. This principle goes like: No one can strengthen their security at the expense of the security of others…. They want security built for Ukraine, which is being discussed now, but built against Russia. Those discussions which took place yesterday, before yesterday, after the Washington meeting, they clearly indicate that people see security as only security for Ukraine and they are prepared to send an intervention force, an occupying force, to the Ukrainian territory to deter Russia. They don’t conceal that this is the goal.”

Welker tried again: “How can you claim to be serious about a peace process when you can’t tell me directly, is President Putin willing to meet with President Zelenskyy?”

Lavrov responded: "[H]e is ready to meet with President Zelenskyy, provided this meeting is really going to decide something. To meet for Zelenskyy to have another opportunity to be on stage is not what we believe is useful…. He publicly stated that he is not going to discuss any territories, thus challenging President Trump and other American colleagues who stated the territorial issue must be on the table. He clearly stated that nobody can prohibit him from joining NATO, which again categorically challenges what President Trump was saying, and quite a number of other things. He also said that he is not going to restore the rights of the Russian-speaking people and cancel legislation … prohibiting Russian language, exterminating Russian language, Russian culture, Russian education, Russian media, and canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“So when he [Zelenskyy] said that, I don’t give a damn about what you are saying, what President Trump believes must be a part of the solution, but I am ready to meet, just to do what?…

“Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all.”

Welker asserted: “You have said right here today that Russia should have the power to reject any security guarantees for you.”

Lavrov shot back: “Kristen, please don’t play Zelenskyy. Be an honest journalist…. I explained to you; I never said that Russia must have a veto on security guarantees. But security guarantees must be subject to consensus.”

And then in a final attempt to drive a wedge between Trump and Putin:

Welker: “And what say you to U.S. lawmakers here who believe you are stringing along President Trump? Are you?”

Lavrov: "It is not for the lawmakers or for any media outlets to decide, you know, what President Trump is motivated by.

“We respect President Trump because President Trump defends American national interests. And they have reason to believe that President Trump respects President Putin because he defends Russian national interests. And whatever they discuss between themselves is not, is not a secret. We want peace in Ukraine. He wants, President Trump wants peace in Ukraine.

“The reaction to the Anchorage meeting, the gathering in Washington of these European representatives and what they were doing after Washington, indicates that they don’t want peace.”