Lavrov warns: Security discussions about Ukraine without Russia are "a road that leads nowhere"

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any efforts aimed at addressing security issues related to Ukraine without his country's participation are futile and pointless. His remarks came following reports of Western discussions to explore future security guarantees for Kyiv.

Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart in Moscow on Wednesday, August 20: "We cannot agree to a proposal now to resolve security and collective security issues without the participation of the Russian Federation. This will be of no use."

He added, clarifying: "I am sure that the West, especially in the United States, is well aware that discussing security issues seriously without Russia is impossible; this path will lead nowhere."

This warning comes in response to reports from Reuters and U.S. officials on Tuesday, stating that military advisors from the United States and European countries have begun exploring formulas for potential security guarantees for Ukraine in the post-war phase since February 2022.

These Western efforts have intensified following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with several European leaders at the White House on Monday, where they discussed the possibility of providing such guarantees that could pave the way for ending the conflict.

It is noted that the meeting held between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday did not yield any tangible results or clear breakthroughs in the course of ending the war, despite praise for the dialogue itself.