Fri Aug 22 12:57:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided information and a rewritten news article from The Hindu’s perspective:

**Summary:**

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed the possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite recent attempts by the U.S., specifically President Trump, to organize such a summit. Lavrov claims that a suitable agenda for the meeting is not in place and criticized a recent White House meeting as an attempt to undermine agreements made between Putin and Trump. He also questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy and reiterated Russia’s demands regarding Ukraine, including its exclusion from NATO and discussions on territorial issues, which Zelenskyy has rejected.

**News Article:**

**The Hindu: Lavrov Dashes Hopes for Putin-Zelenskyy Summit, Citing Lack of Progress**

**Moscow, August 22, 2025 (IST) -** Hopes for a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine have dimmed following comments from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who stated that no meeting is currently planned between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Lavrov’s remarks, made during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, come despite recent efforts by the United States, led by President Donald Trump, to broker a meeting between the two leaders. Trump had previously expressed optimism about a potential summit following Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House alongside European allies.

However, Lavrov dismissed these efforts, criticizing the White House meeting as a “clumsy attempt” to influence President Trump’s stance on Ukraine. He reiterated that President Putin is only willing to meet with Zelenskyy once a concrete agenda is established, which he asserts is currently lacking.

The Foreign Minister also questioned the legitimacy of Zelenskyy’s government and reaffirmed Russia’s long-standing demands, including guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO and that discussions will be held regarding territorial disputes. Lavrov stated that Zelenskyy has rejected these conditions.

This latest development casts further uncertainty on the future of the conflict, now in its fourth year, and raises concerns about the prospects for a peaceful resolution. The Hindu will continue to follow this developing story.

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