MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Moscow remains committed to organizing a Russian-American summit in Budapest, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that refused to publish it.
The Russian top diplomat noted that US President Donald Trump received "behind-the-scenes reports" after which the summit was halted. As for Europe, Lavrov said that Russia will be open for dialogue once its "russophobic frenzy" ends.
TASS has compiled the key statements by the Russian foreign minister, published with exclusive rights.
Moscow is still willing to hold a Russian-American summit in Budapest, provided it is truly based on the results of the Alaska talks. A date for the meeting has not yet been assigned, but the two countries remain in contact. Trump received "behind-the-scenes" reports, after which he either delayed or cancelled the Budapest summit. The information about Russia’s "unwillingness to negotiate" or a "collapse" of the agreements reached in Anchorage is false.
At the same time, Moscow expects Washington to refrain from decisions that will escalate the conflict in Ukraine. The main objective of the European capitals is to undermine the position of Trump’s administration, which "had long advocated for dialogue, sought to understand the Russian side’s position and demonstrated a commitment to finding a sustainable, peaceful resolution."
