Kremlin says: No talks, America pulls out

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump of refusing to implement alleged Russia-U.S. agreements on Ukraine and of pursuing a policy of economic domination. He made the statements in an interview with TV BRICS, published on February 9, reports the Kyiv Independent.

Lavrov claims that the United States abandoned the so-called “Anchorage agreements,” which he says were reached in 2025 and supposedly stipulated that Ukraine would hand over the entire Donbas to Russia without a fight.

“In Anchorage, we accepted the U.S. proposal. They made an offer, we agreed, and the issue was supposed to be resolved. Now it seems they are no longer willing,” Lavrov said.

The White House has not confirmed the existence of such agreements and has previously declined to comment.

Despite statements about moving toward “full and comprehensive cooperation,” Lavrov asserts that Washington continues its anti-Russian policy in practice, citing new sanctions and Western actions against the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” of tankers.

“New sanctions are being imposed, and a war is being waged against these tankers on the high seas,” he said.

For years, Russia has demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas, which has become a key issue in negotiations. Ukraine has rejected this scenario but remains open to alternative solutions, such as a demilitarized zone. Meanwhile, the U.S. has also mentioned the possibility of establishing a free economic zone in parts of the war-affected region.

A source in Washington told the Kyiv Independent that the U.S. is not trying to impose territorial concessions on Ukraine, emphasizing that the terms of any peace agreement must be negotiated between Moscow and Kyiv.

Lavrov also criticized the Trump administration for failing to lift sanctions imposed during former President Joe Biden’s tenure following the start of the Russian invasion.

These statements come amid intensified diplomacy aimed at ending the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the U.S. wants the conflict resolved before the start of summer, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that decisions on additional sanctions will depend on progress in peace negotiations.