Ready to Strike an Agreement: Russia's Lavrov on Ukraine Matter

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Let's get this straight: talks are happening, but it's a bloody mess that ain't exactly moving in a smooth direction. That's the gist of what Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, shared in a chat with CBS News.

On Friday, Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is supposed to land in Russia for another round of ceasefire discussions with Putin.

Lavrov thinks the talks are heading in the right direction, and they'll continue chatting with Washington. But he's Gotta-Be-Honest, Trump hasn't spelled out the nitty-gritty details of the deal yet.

Trump, on the other hand, hasn't been too pleased with Putin's recent missile and drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital, which left at least 12 civilians dead. In typical Trump fashion, he took to social media to voice his displeasure: "I am not happy with the Russian strikes. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!"

So, what's the concession Moscow's offering to end the war? Trump jokingly replied, "Stop taking the whole country — that's a pretty big concession."

Russia plunged into Ukraine back in 2022, dreaming they'd have the country under their control in a matter of days. But it's been a bloody, costly mess ever since, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.

Zelensky had to cut short his trip to South Africa to handle the fallout from the latest attacks. He's questioning if Ukraine's allies are doing enough to force Putin to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire.

"I don't see any strong pressure on Russia or any new sanctions packages against Russia's aggression," Zelensky highlighted, pointing out that Trump earlier threatened repercussions if Moscow didn't pause the fighting.

Trump accused Zelensky of frustrating peace efforts by not recognizing Russia's claim over Crimea, a territory Russia annexed in 2014. Zelensky replied that they'd only act according to Ukraine's laws and constitution.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, however, thinks the ball's in Russia's court—it's up to them to step up and move forward in negotiations.

From Wednesday to early Thursday, Russia fired at least 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine, targeting the defense industry in Kyiv, according to Ukraine's air force. The strikes left 12 dead and 90 wounded in Kyiv's Sviatoshinsky district.

Lavrov told CBS News they're only hitting military targets or civilian sites used by the military. If a Ukrainian site was used by the military, commanders have the right to attack it, he said. Ukraine has faced frequent aerial attacks throughout Russia's three-year invasion, but strikes on Kyiv, which has better air defenses, are less common.

Zelensky said Russia used a North Korean ballistic missile in the strikes. A 33-year-old lawyer in Kyiv reported seeing windows shatter and doors fall off their hinges. People were pulled from the rubble, she added. Zelensky said Russian forces were attacking Ukrainian positions on Thursday, following the Kyiv strikes.

Sources:

"Where are we now with the Russia-Ukraine conflict?" BBC News, April 21, 2025.
"US Threatens to 'Walk Away' from Ukraine Crisis Talks with Russia" The Guardian, April 18, 2025.
"U.S. Proposes Freeze-to-Peace Deal to Settle Ukraine War" The New York Times, April 16, 2025.
"Ukraine offers unconditional ceasefire, but Russia rejects" The Washington Post, April 14, 2025.
"Key issues in Ukraine conflict as Kremlin, US envoys discuss truce" Reuters, April 20, 2025.
Despite the ongoing ceasefire discussions between Russia and the United States, tensions between the two nations remain high, particularly due to Putin's recent missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
Following Trump's warning about these attacks, Moscow has not proposed any significant concessions to end the war in Ukraine, leading Ukrainian President Zelensky to question whether Ukraine's allies are doing enough to apply pressure on Russia.
In politics and general news, Russia's war in Ukraine continues to be a significant issue, with talks of a ceasefire amidst repeated Russian attacks using missiles, drones, and even North Korean ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, the Africa-focused trip of Zelensky was cut short due to the latest attacks on Ukraine, as he questioned the effectiveness of the Western sanctions against Russia and called for stronger political pressure to secure a full and unconditional ceasefire.
Russia and Ukraine have been embroiled in war-and-conflicts since Russia's incursion into Ukraine in 2022, with neither side showing much progress toward a peaceful resolution, resulting in continuous casualties and damage on both sides.