Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Comments on Failed US Proposals for Ukraine Settlement

CHOLPON-ATA /Kyrgyzstan/, July 24. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, commenting on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's remarks that the proposals for a Ukrainian settlement made at the Alaska summit had failed, emphasized the importance of clarifying who truly bears responsibility for the outcome.

He reaffirmed that Russia's conscience remains clear, underscoring the principle that "a man's word is his bond: you say you're going to do something, and then you do it."

Lavrov pointed out that Kiev's dismissive rejection of US proposals, formulated at the Alaska summit, is primarily driven by the continued influx of weapons, a significant portion of which originates from the United States.

Rubio's Remarks on the Anchorage Agreements' Failure

In response to Rubio’s assertion that the proposals for a Ukrainian settlement failed, Lavrov underscored the need to identify who is truly responsible: "Regarding the Anchorage agreements failing, we probably need to understand who exactly failed."

He recalled that the Anchorage summit resulted in coordinated, compromised positions: "If there's a proposal, there's agreement, then perhaps there were agreed-upon results in Anchorage? There were. US President Donald Trump - I'm not revealing any secrets - repeatedly stated that this a compromise proposal. We accepted that it was a compromise, and any agreement likely involves an element of compromise."

Lavrov also noted that the US assured Kiev would take necessary steps toward settlement, but these commitments were not fulfilled: "He added that Zelensky would do what he proposed. Well, it didn't work out."

Russia remains committed to a political and diplomatic resolution in Ukraine.

Following the principle "say what you do and do what you say," Lavrov emphasized: "You know, as they say, a man's word is his bond: you say you're going to do something, and then you do it."

He referenced statements from former US President Donald Trump regarding the 2025 Alaska summit: "I quoted and shared with Marco Rubio yesterday President Trump's comments from Alaska, where he enthusiastically spoke about the Anchorage agreements, saying that nearly everything had been resolved, with perhaps one issue remaining. The foundation for peace was laid."

Lavrov reiterated that implementing these agreements could halt hostilities and reopen negotiations: "These are our assessments; we believed that accepting the US proposals would enable a ceasefire and a return to negotiations, with many details related to the political aspects."

Ukrainian Settlement and US Approach

Lavrov observed that the US has clearly shifted its stance on a Ukrainian settlement: "Well, from the other side, this approach has been modified, judging by Rubio's quote."

Russia adheres to its outlined principles for resolving the conflict, as stated by President Vladimir Putin in June 2024: "The objectives set by President Putin will be fulfilled."

Even if the US, following Europe’s lead, dismisses the Anchorage agreements - evidenced by French President Emmanuel Macron’s public statements and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga’s declaration that ‘we have buried the Anchorage agreements’ - Russia remains resolute. "If these are assessments shared by the Americans, then what can we do? Of course, we have repeatedly said that we prefer a political and diplomatic settlement, but we will achieve our goals regardless."

US Support to Kiev

Lavrov condemned Kiev’s rejection of US proposals as "arrogant and contemptuous," attributing it largely to American military aid: "This arrogant, even contemptuous, rejection is happening in no small part because the Zelensky regime is being supplied with weapons - massive quantities of drones and other military support - which they use to attack civilians and undermine Russia’s stability."

He emphasized US involvement: "The US is significantly involved in bolstering Zelensky’s military strength," providing intelligence for battlefield use: "Americans are providing intelligence, Starlink is operational, and advanced technologies meant for combat are not there by coincidence."