Key facts
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned the U.S. role in mediating the Ukraine war.
- Lavrov contradicted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's denial of a peace agreement between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
- Russia claims an understanding, referred to as 'the spirit of Anchorage,' was reached during a 2023 meeting.
- The Kremlin views the U.S. as not a neutral mediator due to ongoing weapons sales and technological support to Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for clarification on the U.S. role in mediating an end to the war in Ukraine, escalating a dispute with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Lavrov contradicted Rubio's denial that Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had reached an understanding on a peace deal during their 2023 meeting in Alaska, an event Russia refers to as 'the spirit of Anchorage.'