Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov drew attention in Anchorage on Friday when he arrived for a high-profile summit between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin wearing a vintage sweatshirt bearing the Soviet-era “CCCP” emblem.
Lavrov, a senior member of Russia’s delegation, landed in Alaska ahead of Putin and was seen stepping out of a black vehicle in a black gilet over a sweatshirt emblazoned with the Russian abbreviation for the USSR. The outfit appeared to play on accusations from Putin’s critics that he seeks to restore Soviet influence.
In recent years, statues of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin have reappeared in Russia, including a monument unveiled in a Moscow metro station earlier this year. Speaking before the summit, Lavrov said Russia “never plans ahead” in response to Trump’s remarks that there was a 25% chance the meeting to arrange peace between Ukraine and Russia could fail. “We know that we have arguments, a clear, understandable position. We will state it,” he said in a video posted by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
In a Fox News radio interview on Thursday, Trump said he was unsure if an “immediate ceasefire” could be reached but wanted a broad peace deal concluded quickly. The Kremlin has said the summit will begin with a one-on-one between the two leaders, followed by delegation talks and a working breakfast, ending with a joint press conference.
Trump has shifted in describing the meeting, initially calling it a “feel-out” session but also warning of “very severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to end the fighting. He has suggested that any deal could involve “some swapping of territories,” though it is unclear what that would entail. Other reports have pointed to potential financial incentives for Russia, including access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders have voiced concern over the idea of land swaps, with Zelensky warning that Putin is “bluffing” about a ceasefire. Trump has said that if talks with Putin go well, he will move to arrange a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 25th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran in Geneva have been described as “positive”, according to a report by Axios citing a U.S. official.
The United States is expected to deploy six additional aerial refuelling aircraft to Israel as Washington continues to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East while nuclear negotiations with Iran remain under way.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday (26 February) that she had no information about the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and urged lawmakers to question President Donald Trump under oath about the disgraced financier.
Denmark will hold a parliamentary election on 24 March, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Thursday (26 February), as she seeks to capitalise on a surge in support for her defiant stance against U.S. pressure over Greenland.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, arrived in Geneva and may hold talks with U.S. officials, according to the RIA news agency.
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