Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin is "ready to reach a deal" to end the war in Ukraine, which has been raging for more than three years.
In an excerpt of an interview that is set to air in full on Sunday, Lavrov told CBS News that he agreed with President Donald Trump's assertion that talks between Ukraine and Russia were "moving in the right direction."
TRUMP TELLS PUTIN 'STOP' AFTER DEADLY RUSSIAN STRIKES ON KYIV
Lavrov’s comments came after Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and demanded he halt the deadly strikes in Ukraine.
"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal DONE," Trump wrote.
However, Lavrov also told CBS News that there were "some specific points, elements of the deal, which need to be fine-tuned," but did not explain what was being negotiated.
Lavrov also apparently made it clear to CBS News that Russia would not give up Crimea, which the country seized from Ukraine in 2014. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that his country would not recognize Russian control of Crimea, as it would go against Ukraine’s constitution. Trump slammed Zelenskyy over the "inflammatory" remark and said in a post on Truth Social that the comment was "very harmful" to peace efforts.
"It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that make it so difficult to settle this war," Trump wrote. In the same post, he said it was time for Russia and Ukraine to "get it done" and reach an agreement.
TRUMP INSISTS UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT MISTRUST IN PUTIN LEAVES EXPERTS SKEPTICAL
Putin has yet to agree to a U.S. proposal to stop the war, and it remains unclear what exactly would get him to sign a deal. However, the Trump administration is still optimistic about its efforts to end the deadly conflict.
When speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said that he thinks both Ukraine and Russia "want peace right now" and that "they’re ready to do something." He then asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to weigh in on the status of the peace negotiations.
"This war is endable. Both sides just have to agree to it," Rubio told reporters. He also said there were "good meetings over the weekend," which were presumably focused on ending the conflict.
Rubio added that the results of Russia’s deadly strikes on Ukraine should remind the world why it’s so important to see peace in the region.
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