TRANSCRIPT
Options for locations to host a potential bilateral meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders are still being worked out, days after US President Donald Trump met with Vladimir Putin.
The Russian President's ability to travel overseas is limited because the International Criminal Court issued a warrant in March 2023 for his arrest over his alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children.
Ukraine and Western leaders have accused Mr Putin of drawing out peace negotiations, with the aim of seizing more land before any settlement.
Discussions are underway among a coalition of 30 countries to set up a force that could underpin and enforce security guarantees for Ukraine.
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, says such discussions should involve Russia.
"We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without Russia. This will not work. And I am sure that the West, and above all the United States, understands perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia. This is a road to nowhere."
He says Russia will seek to enforce its legitimate interests harshly.
He also described negotiations between the European leaders and Mr Trump as clumsy and unconstructive.
"What diplomatic steps have you noticed in the European Union? Before evaluating them, they need to be seen. So far, we see only a fairly aggressive escalation of the situation, rather clumsy and unethical attempts to change the position of the Trump administration and the US President personally."
The chair of NATO’s Military Committee, admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, says the video conference attended by 32 defence chiefs resulted in a candid discussion on security guarantees; and an agreement on the need for a just, credible and durable peace.
German government spokesperson Steffen Meyer says the U-S president and European leaders, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have displayed big steps towards peace, and Mr Putin has a duty to step up.
"I believe significant steps have been taken, particularly by US President Donald Trump, the Europeans, and also by Zelenskyy, to truly move towards peace. The only one we see not taking these steps is Vladimir Putin. And that's why I think it's important, based on what we've seen in the past few days, Putin must now deliver. Putin must show that he has a serious interest in a peace agreement."
Meanwhile, Russia has fired a barrage of drones at Ukraine's Sumy region in the country's northeast, injuring 14 people, including three young children, and destroying several houses.
It also fired a drone into a cornfield on Poland's eastern border with Ukraine.
On social media, Mr Zelenskyy said the strikes only confirm the need to put more pressure on Russia, impose new sanctions and impose strong security guarantees to ensure reliable and lasting peace.
Poland's Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz says a flying object that crashed and exploded was identified as Russian.
"This was another provocation carried out by the Russian Federation, it was a Russian drone. Note that it happened in a particular moment, as peace talks are ongoing and there are hopes for the end to the war that Russia declared against the state of Ukraine, but which also challenges the security of the NATO member states. In such a moment Russia provokes again."
The Kremlin has yet to confirm arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, nor has a venue been suggested.
Mr Lavrov says, however, Russia is broadly open to negotiations with Ukraine in any format.
"The President has said more than once that we are ready to work in any format, with the understanding that the work will be honest and will not be limited to attempts - as is done primarily by the leaders of leading European countries - to create conditions for once again dragging the United States into its aggressive, belligerent campaign to preserve, and even strengthen, Ukraine as an instrument of containing Russia."
