Wed Feb 19 10:42:34 UTC 2025: ## Lavrov Praises Trump’s Ukraine War Assessment Amidst US-Russia Talks
**Riyadh, Saudi Arabia –** Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday lauded U.S. President Donald Trump for acknowledging that previous U.S. support for Ukraine’s NATO membership was a key factor in triggering the war. Lavrov stated that Trump was the only Western leader to publicly and explicitly recognize this, signaling a potential understanding of Russia’s position.
Following talks in Riyadh between Russian and U.S. officials on Tuesday, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s demand for NATO to revoke its 2008 pledge to eventually grant Ukraine membership. Russia also rejected the possibility of NATO peacekeeping forces under any ceasefire agreement. While the talks yielded no immediate plans for a Trump-Putin meeting, Lavrov’s comments suggest a potential opening for dialogue based on a shared understanding of the conflict’s origins.
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