British News Agency

On Friday, the Kremlin denied reports of tensions between Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin following the suspension last month of efforts to organize a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Western media reported that Washington canceled the new summit after Lavrov’s ministry sent a message stating that Moscow was not ready to back down from its demands regarding Ukraine. The British newspaper *Financial Times* cited a source claiming that Lavrov’s meeting with Rubio prompted Washington to take action.

Lavrov told RIA, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I understand the need for regular communication.”

He added, “This is important for discussing the Ukraine issue and advancing the bilateral agenda. Therefore, we communicate by phone and are ready to meet face-to-face when necessary.”

The Russian foreign minister said the United States is having difficulty convincing Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to interfere with reconciliation efforts in Ukraine.

“The Americans assured us back then (at the Alaska summit) that Zelenskyy would not block peace efforts. It seems some difficulties have arisen. Moreover, as far as we know, Brussels and London are trying to persuade Washington to abandon its intention to resolve the crisis politically and diplomatically, and instead to join efforts to apply military pressure on Russia – effectively becoming part of the ‘war party’,” Lavrov said.

He also noted that despite the understanding reached at the Anchorage meeting, Moscow has not abandoned its core principles: the territorial integrity of Russia and the choice of the residents of Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya cannot be denied.

The minister added, “We are now awaiting confirmation from the United States that the Anchorage agreements remain in force.”