Russia accepted a U.S. proposal on the Ukrainian settlement during talks between President Vladimir Putin and U. S. President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with TV BRICS marking Russia’s Diplomatic Worker’s Day.

According to Lavrov, Washington had urged that the Ukrainian issue be resolved, and during the Anchorage meeting the American side put forward a proposal that Moscow agreed to. From Russia’s perspective, he said, such an exchange implied that the problem should move toward resolution.

The foreign minister noted that Moscow is fully aware of the harsh anti-Russian rhetoric prevalent across much of Europe. However, he stressed that Russia attached decisive importance to the U.S. position. Acceptance of the American proposal, Lavrov explained, was intended to lay the groundwork for a settlement, though the expected outcome has yet to materialize.

Outlining what Moscow views as essential conditions, Lavrov pointed to the need to dismantle what he described as Nazi foundations in Ukraine, ensure Russia’s national security, and prevent the deployment on Ukrainian territory of weapons that could threaten Russia. He also emphasized the importance of guaranteeing full protection of the rights of Russian and Russian-speaking residents in Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya-regions where people have lived for centuries. Lavrov said that the authorities who came to power in Kiev after the coup had labeled these populations as subhuman and terrorists, and had unleashed a civil war against them.

The talks between the Russian and U.S. presidents took place on August 15 at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base near Anchorage. During the meeting, the two sides discussed possible paths toward resolving the Ukrainian conflict and gave the negotiations a positive assessment. Following the summit, Putin said there were chances to bring the process to an end and confirmed Russia’s interest in a long-term, sustainable solution.