Russian FM: Trump took more in-depth approach to Ukraine crisis settlement after Alaska summit

MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - The Russia-U.S. summit in Alaska showed that the current U.S. administration is committed to finding ways for a lasting and durable settlement to the Ukraine crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"There was a very good atmosphere at it. And it was reflected in the statements that were made after the talks between [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [U.S. President Donald] Trump," Lavrov said in an interview with journalist Nailya Asker-zade aired on the Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) television channel.   

"A useful conversation" took place in Alaska, he said.

"It was absolutely clear that, first, the head of the United States and his team sincerely wish to reach a result that will be lasting, durable and reliable, unlike the Europeans, who were insisting on ceasefire and saying they would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine," Lavrov said.

"President Trump and his team, especially after the meeting in Alaska, have taken a more in-depth approach to the settlement of this crisis, realizing that it is necessary to eliminate its root causes, something that we, President Putin, were saying all the time," he said.

"And one of these root causes is the problem of Russia's security that has to do with the fact that the pledges of not to allow NATO's eastward enlargement given to us have been consistently and flagrantly violated over decades," Lavrov said.

"We have never said that we just need to capture some territories," he said.

"Neither Crimea, nor Donbass, nor Novorossiya as territories were ever our goal. Our goal was to defend the people, Russian people, who have lived on this land for centuries, who discovered these lands, shed their blood both in Crimea and in Donbas, who created cities - Odessa, Nikolayev and many others, ports, plants, factories," Lavrov said.

Russia is not rejecting any Ukraine settlement formats, yet summit contacts need to be thoroughly prepared, Lavrov said.

"We are not rejecting any work formats, either bilateral or trilateral, and the president has repeatedly said so," Lavrov said.

At the same time, "any contacts involving the heads of state need to be thoroughly prepared," Lavrov said.

"Most importantly, any formats - one plus one, one plus two, and numerous multilateral formats, including those within the United Nations - the purpose of these formats should not be someone writing in newspapers next morning or showing on television in the evening or gossiping on social networks [...]. Instead, should aim at preparing summits step-by-step in a phased manner, from the expert level up, taking all the steps necessary. This is the serious approach we will always be supporting," Lavrov said.

A lasting settlement in Ukraine is impossible without respecting Russia's national security interests and rights of the Russian-speaking population, Lavrov said.

"Without respecting security interests of Russia, without fully respecting the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine, any lasting agreements are out of the question, because these very causes need to be urgently eliminated in the settlement context," Lavrov said.

"Despite the adopted laws, which ban the Russian language in every sphere of human life and activity, the Ukrainian constitution still compels the state to fully ensure the rights of the Russian - this is stated specifically - and other ethnic minorities," Lavrov said.

"If he [Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky] cares about his constitution so much, I would start with its first articles, where this obligation is enshrined," he said.