Lavrov rules out political concessions before Witkoff's Russia visit

Russia is organizing a meeting between Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in the near future, while Moscow does not intend to make political concessions, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Lavrov, cited by the RIA Novosti agency, said Moscow is ready to restore relations with the West but "not as they were before 2022." He also stated the Kremlin does not expect significant changes in sanctions policy from the Trump administration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after talks in Norway that Witkoff would deliver a document to Russia outlining security guarantee options for Ukraine, including NATO membership, Article 5 collective defense, or similar guarantees. Kyiv expects Moscow's reaction within two days.