Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday ruled out territorial concessions to Ukraine, setting out a tough opening stance on the eve of talks on Tuesday with U.S. President Donald Trump's team in Saudi Arabia.
Trump said after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that the two sides would begin talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy adviser who has also been ambassador to Washington, would meet U.S. officials.
Lavrov said there would be no talk of territorial concessions to Ukraine, around 20% of which is controlled by Russian forces.
"Territorial concessions to what is now called Ukraine were made by the Soviet leadership during the formation of the USSR," Lavrov said before heaping scorn on a Ukrainian bid to do a deal giving the United States access to minerals.
"How should we give in - with Russian people or with rare earth metals?" Lavrov said.
Trump said after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that the two sides would begin talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy adviser who has also been ambassador to Washington, would meet U.S. officials.
Lavrov said there would be no talk of territorial concessions to Ukraine, around 20% of which is controlled by Russian forces.
"Territorial concessions to what is now called Ukraine were made by the Soviet leadership during the formation of the USSR," Lavrov said before heaping scorn on a Ukrainian bid to do a deal giving the United States access to minerals.
"How should we give in - with Russian people or with rare earth metals?" Lavrov said.
9 months ago
