Russia seeks answers on Trump’s Ukraine stance after G7 summit

Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow was trying to understand the outcome of discussions at the summit after French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Trump had acknowledged that Russia did not want peace in Ukraine.

“We want to understand what happened in Evian,” Lavrov said at an event in Moscow. He added that the United States had not yet explained its interpretation of the talks or its future approach.

Macron’s comments on Trump’s position

Macron, who hosted the summit in the French town, said Trump had indicated during the meeting that Russia was not seeking peace in Ukraine, describing it as “a real change in approach” by the U.S. president.

Trump separately called for Russia to pursue peace following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which he described as “very good”. The remarks were seen by some G7 leaders as a potential sign of renewed momentum towards negotiations.

Reference to past U.S.-Russia understandings

Lavrov also referred to what he described as earlier understandings between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that were reached during a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, last year.

According to Lavrov, Macron suggested those understandings had been “buried” during the Evian summit. Moscow has previously referred to a so-called “Spirit of Anchorage”, which analysts describe as shorthand for a possible framework involving territorial compromises between Russia and Ukraine.

Kyiv has repeatedly rejected any proposal involving the transfer of its territory to Russia.

Accusations of shifting U.S. policy

Russian officials have increasingly expressed frustration with Washington’s position on the conflict.

Lavrov suggested earlier this week that the Alaska summit may have been a “U.S. ploy” to delay proceedings while Ukraine rearmed. Other senior Russian figures have also accused the United States of failing to implement the understandings reportedly reached in Anchorage.

On Wednesday, Lavrov reiterated that President Putin had agreed in principle to a U.S. proposal during that meeting, although he said subsequent developments had complicated its implementation.

Moscow calls for continued dialogue

Despite his criticism, Lavrov emphasised that Russia remained interested in maintaining dialogue with the United States.

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He said Moscow was awaiting the next visit by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, suggesting they could help clarify Washington’s position.

At the same time, he criticised ongoing U.S. sanctions and the lack of progress in restoring bilateral relations, including direct flights and the return of Russian diplomatic property seized by Washington.

Lavrov also noted that the U.S. had placed no restrictions on weapons sales to European countries intended for Ukraine, adding to tensions between the two sides.

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