Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appears on CBS Face the Nation to discuss the position of the Russian Federation toward the ‘ceasefire’ in Ukraine.  The interview took place on Thursday April 24th and was broadcast today.

This interview also takes place one day before President Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkoff flew to Moscow for his fourth meeting with Putin to discuss the settlement of the war in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, the conversation between Witkoff and President Putin lasted about three hours.

Following the last meeting between President Putin and Ambassador Witkoff, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated President Putin is willing to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy without any preconditions. According to Peskov, the statement was made at a meeting with Trump’s special representative, Steve Witkoff. “Putin at the meeting with Witkoff confirmed Russia’s readiness for negotiations with Kyiv without any preconditions” according to the Kremlin.

In this interview, Sergey Lavrov dismisses the narrative building, maintains respect for the integrity of private negotiations, and outlines an optimistic view the terms of a ceasefire can be agreed between President Trump and President Putin.  It is the CIA and their operative Volodymyr Zelenskyy that represent the challenge that might cause President Trump and Marco Rubio to walk away.  WATCH: 

[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. Good morning, Minister Lavrov, I want to ask you about what happened in Kyiv. There was a large Russian attack on that capital city about one o’clock in the morning. President Trump has said publicly, the Russian strikes are not necessary and very bad timing. “Vladimir, STOP!” was his quote. What made it worth killing civilians when Ukraine says it’s ready for a ceasefire?

FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV: We only target military goals or civilian sites used by the military. President Putin expressed this for so many times, and this is not different this time as well. We never consciously target civilian sites unlike- unlike the Zelensky regime.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So was this an intentional attack, then? Not a mistake?

MINISTER LAVROV: If this was a target used by the Ukrainian military, the Minister of Defense, the commanders in the field have the right to attack them.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So just to be clear, when the President of the United States says, “Vladimir, STOP!” Is this a rejection of that request? Was the assessment that, because of what you say regarding the concerns that this loss of civilian life made it worth it?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, I can assure you that the target attacked was not something absolutely civilian like TV center in Belgrade in 1999- this was an intentional attack against civilian target. In our case, we only target those sites which are used by the military. And regarding the ceasefire and the regarding the call to stop, President Putin immediately supported President Trump’s proposal few weeks ago to establish a 30 day ceasefire provided- provided we do not repeat mistakes of the last 10 years, when deals were signed and then Ukraine would violate those deals with the support and with encouragement from Biden administration and from European countries. This was the fate of the deal of February 2014 then the- this was the fate of the Minsk agreements, and this was the fate of the deal reached on the basis of Ukrainian proposals in Istanbul in April 2022. So President Putin said, ceasefire, yes, but we want the guarantees that the ceasefire would not be used again to beef up Ukrainian military and that the support of arms should stop.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Ukraine accepted on March 11, that idea of a U.S. brokered ceasefire without preconditions. You’re saying the preconditions are a negotiation to end something else?

MINISTER LAVROV: No, it is not a precondition. It is the lessons learned after at least three times the deal’s similar to the one which we are discussing now–

MARGARET BRENNAN: But Russia has not accepted that call for a ceasefire–

MINISTER LAVROV: –But Ukrainian regime has a strong support from European capitals and Biden administration. If- if you want a ceasefire, just to continue supply arms to Ukraine, so what is your purpose? You know what- what Kaja Kallas and- what’s his name- Mark Rutte said about the- the ceasefire–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –The NATO Secretary General and the European Union–

MINISTER LAVROV: They bluntly stated that they can support only the deal which, at the end of the day, will make Ukraine stronger, would make Ukraine a victor. So if this is the purpose of the ceasefire, I don’t think this is what President Trump wants. This is what Europeans, together with Zelenskyy, want to make out of President Trump’s initiative.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Will Russia continue targeting Kyiv despite President Trump saying, “Vladimir, STOP!”

MINISTER LAVROV: You’re not listening to me. We will continue to target the sites used by the military of Ukraine, by some mercenaries from foreign countries and by instructors whom the Europeans officially sent to help target Russian civilian sites. If you- if you take a look at the- at the situation in the Kursk region of Russia, for example, there is no single military target for the last six months which the Ukrainians would- would- would fire at. And there was also a proposal by President Trump immediately support President Putin to have a one month moratorium on that text on energy infrastructure–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right that’s expired.

MINISTER LAVROV: We never violated this- this commitment of President Putin. And Ukrainians violated what Zelensky seemed to support several hundred times and I sent to Marco Rubio and to the United Nations the list of those attacks. It’s really very- very telling and eloquent.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And Ukraine disputes that. But putting that aside, I want to ask you about what President Trump said on Wednesday. The President of the United States says he thinks the U.S. and Russia have a deal, let’s get it done. Does President Putin agree?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, the President of the United States believes, and I think rightly so, that we are moving in the right direction. The statement by the president mentions a deal, and we are ready to reach a deal, but there are still some specific points- elements of this deal which need to be fine-tuned. And we are busy with this exact process, and the President of the United States did not spell out the elements of the deal, so it is not appropriate for me to do this.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But he did say there was a deal, and that he was sending his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to meet with Vladimir Putin Friday in Russia. Is that meeting still happening? And should we expect a deal this week?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, you don’t trust the word of the President of the United States?

MARGARET BRENNAN: I was asking your president’s word. What will he tell the U.S. envoy?

MINISTER LAVROV: We- we continue our contacts with the American side on the situation in Ukraine, there are several signs that we are moving in the right direction. First of all, because President Trump is probably the only leader on Earth who recognized the need to address the root causes of this situation, when he said- said that it was a huge mistake to pull Ukraine into NATO, and this was a mistake by Biden administration, and he wants to rectify this. And–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Ukraine is not part of NATO–

MINISTER LAVROV: — Marco Rubio expressed yesterday, I think, also the assessment that they had the American team now is getting a better understanding of the Russian position and of the root causes of this situation. One of this root causes, apart from NATO and creation of direct military threats to Russia just on our borders, another one is the rights of the national minorities in Ukraine. Everything Russian- media, education, culture, anything was prohibited by a law in Ukraine. And to get out of this, of this crisis, you cannot just forget about human rights. When- whenever we discuss–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — It’s not illegal to speak Russian–

MINISTER LAVROV: — Iran- North Korea, anything American negotiators put on top human rights. They have claims in this regard to China, to us, to anybody. But whenever Europeans and other Western nations speak about Ukraine, nobody can mumble the words human rights. Just nobody. On the contrary, what- what Ursula von der Leyen and other people, Brussels and in Europe say that- that Ukraine is defending the European values. So one of these values is canceling the Russian language. Imagine, if–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –It is not illegal, Minister Lavrov, to speak Russian. The President of Ukraine speaks Russian–

MINISTER LAVROV: — If Israel cancel Arabic language in- in Palestine. Just imagine.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah. You mentioned that the US and Russia need to work on some of these fine points of a deal have you–

MINISTER LAVROV: — Yeah, do you want this to be spelled out?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, of course, I’d love that. But my question was–

MINISTER LAVROV: This is not the way we–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –European sources say that the US proposal is really just kind of a list of bullet points. Does Russia have details, the details you need at this point in terms of a formal proposal?

MINISTER LAVROV: We are really polite people, and unlike some others, we never discuss in public what is being discussed in negotiations. Otherwise, negotiations are not serious. To ask for somebody’s opinion regarding the substance, go to Zelensky. He is happy to talk to anybody through media, even to President Trump. He presents his- his claims. We are–

MARGARET BRENNAN:– Well, he said he hasn’t received a formal proposal, so I was wondering if you had–

MINISTER LAVROV: — We are- we are serious people and we consider serious proposals. We make serious proposals, and this is a process which is not supposed to be public until the end of it.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so no deal is imminent?

MINISTER LAVROV: I didn’t say this. Now- now I understand, by the way, why you wanted to get the brief answers to your questions. You want some slogans to be- to be-

MARGARET BRENNAN: — No, the president of the United States said there was a deal with Russia. So I wanted to ask Russia if there is a deal with the United States. So, I just want to be clear.

MINISTER LAVROV: So, we made our comments on this statement. The- the negotiations continue, and until the end of the negotiations. We cannot disclose what it is about.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. The National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said last month that President Trump is asking for thousands of Ukrainian children who were taken into Russia to be released now as part of what he called confidence building measures. What steps has Russia taken to meet Mr. Trump’s request?

MINISTER LAVROV: Look, long before the request coming from Washington, we have been addressing the issue of the fate of the kids who during the conflict found themselves outside the- their homes, outside their families. Most of these kids were attending- were attending- what you call it, the place where people without parents–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Orphanage.

MINISTER LAVROV: Orphanage. Orphanage. And as soon as and we announce whatever- whatever details we have about those kids, and as soon as relevance- I mean, the parents or other relevant- relatives make themselves available. They are getting the kids back. This has been the process for the last almost three years between the ombudsman of Russia and Ukraine.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So there’s no new release of thousands of Ukrainian children at the request of President Trump?

MINISTER LAVROV: No, there was the- nobody- nobody knows why- why some experts advise the President about thousands of Ukrainian children. Every now and then, once in two- three months, we organize exchanges with Ukrainians with the help of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, who do not, you know, make any noise about what they’re doing. They just do something which we are participating in- in very constructive manner. Bringing kids back to the parents or relatives.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But what confidence building measure can Russia offer now, particularly after this strike in Kyiv, where the President of the United States is saying, “Vladimir, STOP!” How do you convince the United States that Russia is actually serious about peace?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, confidence building measures have been plentiful in the last 10 years. I mentioned–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –The strike was overnight.

MINISTER LAVROV: You want a brief answer, right? As I- as I understand from your initial words, or you want an answer which is explaining the situation. The proposal by President Trump on a 30 days moratorium on the strikes against the energy infrastructure was supported by President Putin and observed strictly. This was a confidence building measure against the policy and action taken by Zelenskyy regime. As I said several hundred times, civilian energy infrastructure was trapped. Another confidence building measure was the proposal of President Trump and his team to resume the deal on Black Sea and the delegations met in Istanbul, in Riyadh, the delegations exchanged the views how this can be implemented in practical terms, and the proposals made by Russia are being considered by the United States. There are many other examples about confidence building measure. But if- if you believe that it’s only Ukraine who is interested in confidence building, I think a short answer would be, this is an illusion.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you take President Trump at his word when he says, if Russia is unable to make a deal on ending the bloodshed in Ukraine he’ll put secondary tariffs, I think he means sanctions there, on oil coming out of Russia. Or do you think that at this point, the relationship between Russia and America has been rebuilt and that won’t happen?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, I cannot comment on what you think President Trump meant when he said something.

MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you think he meant when he said secondary tariffs on oil coming out of Russia?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, we hear many things coming from President Trump. President Trump said that he’s sick and tired of the situation in this settlement, especially yesterday when he commented the statements by Zelenskyy. And President Trump has his own proposals and has his own style in mentioning those proposals in his public speeches. We concentrate, as I said, on the real negotiations which President Trump supports and instructed his people to continue to engage in these negotiations. I’m sorry the answer was a bit longish, but it’s difficult to explain otherwise.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So I ask about the threat of sanctions, or secondary tariffs, because you recently said in an interview, if you had to personally pick sides, you would keep the existing sanctions in place on Russia. You said you’ve restructured the economy to be self-sufficient, and there is a growing fear that, quote, “cunning Americans will lift sanctions all of a sudden to flood our market with services and technologies.” So if that’s the case, why should the United States consider lifting sanctions at all?

MINISTER LAVROV: Why do you ask me? You just quoted my statement, and this statement is clear for me and clear to all those who read it. If you have questions to the American side, how they treat the situation. It is not, it is not the right address to raise it with me.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you want to keep sanctions in place. Is that really the Russian position?

MINISTER LAVROV: I don’t want to re-explain what I explained, I think, in quite- in quite clear manner. And you quoted, I think–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –I quoted–

MINISTER LAVROV: –very close to the real content. Yeah. It was a bit longer than normally you prefer. I know, I know.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, back in February, though, one of your colleagues Kirill Dmitriev, who runs the sovereign wealth fund and has been active in the diplomacy with the United States, said something a bit different. That’s why I’m asking for clarification. Because he said there is the expectation that American companies would return to the Russian market in the second half of 2025.

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, the President of Russia commented upon this situation. He said that we have nothing against American company, but those companies who decided to leave their business in Russia might find that their place has been occupied already by Russian or other foreign investors, and in this case, we would not make any decisions which would discriminate those who came to invest in Russia instead of Americans. If American companies would like to come to a place which is not yet occupied, if they want to- to propose a project, a new project, on top of the previous business ties, of course, we will look into this. And if we found- if we find balance of our interests, I think it would be only natural to get into business together.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, what areas has the U.S. offered to lift sanctions on, because it wouldn’t be possible for an American, many American companies, to enter the Russian market right now, under the existing sanctions.

MINISTER LAVROV: It is up to them to decide.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So no offer has been made?

MINISTER LAVROV: No, how can we offer something?

MARGARET BRENNAN: The United States to Russia?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, the United States clearly tells us that they are interested in doing business together. We never reject business proposals, provided they are based on the equal opportunities and the treatment of each other and lead to a balance of interest. Specific proposals which are being mentioned in the media, I cannot comment upon. This is not serious. We are not- people- we are not acting like the people in Kyiv who talk to the world through the media, including talking to Presidents of great countries.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So if I understand you correctly, you neither fear sanctions nor want them lifted.

MINISTER LAVROV: Look, you quoted my statement.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes

MINISTER LAVROV: And you quoted it right. That’s my- that’s my position.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so when President Trump threatens new sanctions, that’s not of concern?

MINISTER LAVROV: You’re asking this for the third time.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, just trying to get–

MINISTER LAVROV: This was a brief answer. This was a brief answer.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You are being brief and direct on that part. I was asking on the sanctions for clarity and directness. Broadly speaking, when you look at what’s happening in the battle space in Ukraine right now, analysts say about 18% of Ukrainian territory is under the control of Russian forces. U.S. intelligence says battlefield trends are in Russia’s favor. So if that’s the case, why should the U.S. believe Russia is serious about ending the war if everything is in your favor?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well, we judge by the reaction of our American colleagues to what we tell them, and this is being done during negotiations. They’re confidential as any serious negotiation, and they know our position. And they, as- as I quoted Marco Rubio, he publicly said that they- now, they better understand the Russian position and the reasons for what is going on. And he said that nobody in Washington lifted a finger to do the same, to understand- to try to understand Russia during the Biden administration, and- and this- this implies that the dialogue continues, that the dialogue is supported by the United States, and I reiterate that it is supported by- by the Russian Federation, and this dialogue continues.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So President Trump said he expects to meet soon with Vladimir Putin. What’s an acceptable time and location? Why should they meet?

MINISTER LAVROV: Look, the presidents are masters of their own destiny and of their own schedule. I heard President Trump say that he is planning to be somewhere mid-May, and that after that, he would be suggesting some days. I cannot add anything else.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. He said- he was asked about meeting with Vladimir Putin, specifically in Saudi Arabia, and he said, most likely not, that’s in mid-May, but shortly thereafter.

MINISTER LAVROV: You said the same thing as I.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. Well, what are you planning?

MINISTER LAVROV: So we read the same newspapers and watch the same channels on TV.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right, but I can’t pick up the phone and call Marco Rubio the Secretary of State, like you can. What plans are you making for the two to meet?

MINISTER LAVROV: Look, I hope your listeners understand very well that it is not ethical for a foreign minister to prejudge, to presume what presidents might or might not discuss.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you think it would be good for the two leaders to meet soon? Do you expect that that’s what Envoy Witkoff is negotiating?

MINISTER LAVROV: We’re always- we’re always in favor of meeting with people who are ready for a dialogue. President Putin repeated this thousands of times, and when we met- when we met in Riyadh together with President Putin’s foreign policy adviser Ushakov, with Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz, the American colleagues clearly stated that the U.S. policy is based firmly on U.S. national interests. They understand that the Russian policy, led by President Putin, is also based on Russian national interest, and that it is the responsibility of great powers to make sure that whenever those national interests do not coincide, and this is in most of the cases, this difference should not be allowed to degenerate into confrontation, and that’s what dialogue is for. But, they also added that when the national interest of two countries- more countries coincide, it would be stupid to miss an opportunity to translate this coincidence into some material, mutually beneficial projects. And this is absolutely our position.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You know that President Trump is coming up on 100 days in office, and he has made clear his patience is wearing thin with the diplomacy here. Do you expect the U.S. and Russia to continue to talk after these potential peace talks fall apart? I mean, is the rebuilding of the relationship so significant now that you think it could withstand the peace talks–

MINISTER LAVROV: Russia–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –in Ukraine falling apart.

MINISTER LAVROV: First, Russia is always available for a dialogue, so you have to address your question to the American side. Second, you prejudge the current process by saying that eventual collapse of the talks. We concentrate on doing business, not on thinking, you know, failures or victories about anything. Unless you concentrate on the facts, that’s what we do, you cannot be serious about what you are doing.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, President Trump and Secretary Rubio said that the window was closing, that time is running out here. That’s not my opinion, that’s what they said. I want to ask you a little- Go ahead, sorry.

MINISTER LAVROV: Wait a second, I just quoted Marco Rubio, who yesterday said about better understanding of the Russian position, so maybe, maybe you missed that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, he also said a decision in days needed to be made, and that the U.S. has other things to focus on.

MINISTER LAVROV: We understand, we understand the impatience, because in- in American culture, you create expectations, and you ignite tension around those expectations. This does not help to do realpolitik. But in our case, as I said, we are always ready for dialogue, ready for negotiations, and we would not, you know, begin by banking on a failure. This would be a characteristic of bad deal makers, inexperienced deal makers.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Others in the Russian government have proposed that the U.S. and Russia could work together in the Arctic. Are there specific areas of discussion for cooperating right now?

MINISTER LAVROV: You always want me to disclose things–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, this is a public statement.

MINISTER LAVROV: –things- things which might be, might be discussed by respective officials of Russia and the United States, by those who are responsible for trade, economic cooperation, investments and so on and so forth. How do you expect a participant of negotiations which are still to reach some kind of specific understanding to disclose details in public. It is not serious.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m just- I’m asking what you think the potential is.

MINISTER LAVROV: I read- I read- I read President Trump’s book, the art to make a deal, and he does not advise to disclose information before- before it’s time.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Respectfully, President Trump speaks quite a lot about the things he would like to do with Russia and opportunities to work together. I understand you don’t want to. On the specific things President Trump has said in public – one of the things he brought up is that the U.S. could work with Ukraine to operate the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, which is in an area you know, Zaporizhzhia. Russians control it, that area right now. Do you agree with President Trump’s public statements that the best security would be for the U.S. and Ukraine to operate that together?

MINISTER LAVROV: No, we- we never received such an offer and if we do, we will explain that the power station, Zapor- Zaporizhzhia power nuclear power station is run by the Russian Federation state corporation called Rosatom. It is being under monitoring of the IAEA personnel permanently located on the site. And if not for the Ukrainian regular attempts to attack the station and to create a nuclear disaster for Europe and for Ukraine as well, the safety requirements are fully implemented and it is in very good hands.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So that’s a no?

MINISTER LAVROV: No, I don’t think- I don’t think any change is conceivable.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, because that was in a public statement from the White House to the media.

MINISTER LAVROV: We- we, as I said, we did not receive any proposal which would be specific. So, you know, I understand that journalists have to speculate. We cannot speculate on something which is really not being- not being mentioned during the negotiations.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Zaporizhzhia is not being negotiated right now?

MINISTER LAVROV: Shall I said it for the third time?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I’m trying to reconcile public statements, but- I heard you, but I just want to be abundantly clear, because that is also widely reported to be in the U.S. proposal currently on the table.

MINISTER LAVROV: Why don’t you ask me about President Trump’s position on Crimea?

MARGARET BRENNAN: You liked what President Trump said about Crimea yesterday, when he said that it had been under Russian control since 2014?

MINISTER LAVROV: It’s not about- It’s not about liking or disliking. It’s about the fact that he said the truth and when–

MARGARET BRENNAN: So he said something specific you liked?

MINISTER LAVROV: And when Zelensky said that this is absolutely excluded, because Crimea is part of Ukraine according to the constitution. Nobody in in Europe or in- in the States, by the way, reminded him that, apart from territorial issues, the Ukrainian constitution guarantees, I quote, the free development, the use and protection of the Russian and other national minorities language in Ukraine, and they guarantee the development of ethnic cultural, language and religious identity of all peoples and national minorities in Ukraine. This is also in the constitution, but as I mentioned already, and you decided not to- not to go deeper into this topic, nobody in the west even mentions human rights when they demand that Ukraine defeat Russia in the battlefield.

MARGARET BRENNAN: President Trump said Crimea is not even being discussed right now.

MINISTER LAVROV: Yes, because this is a done deal.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You mean Russia occupies and controls and will not negotiate the future of Crimea? Is that what you’re saying?

MINISTER LAVROV: Russia- Russia do not negotiate its own territory.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So that’s one, one specific thing that you do want in the public space. You said everything else that I’ve asked you about in the US proposal is too sensitive to discuss. Is there any other part of the U.S. proposal that you do like?

MINISTER LAVROV: No, no, no. I only commented what was- what was said publicly, and I also said that normal negotiators, I emphasize this once again, normal negotiate- negotiators do not negotiate by through a microphone. They meet and they discuss, they listen to each other, they try to understand, they try to see where of interest can be reached, and this is how our contacts with the American representatives are organized.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Respectfully, you’ve been in the top levels of Russian diplomacy for 30 years.

MINISTER LAVROV: For how many?

MARGARET BRENNAN: For at least 30 years. I mean, you’ve been in very key diplomatic roles within the top of the Russian diplomatic system for a very, very long time. I don’t think any part of this is- is typical or normal to use the word you used. Steve Witkoff is the envoy. Kirill Dmitriev

is Vladimir Putin’s envoy here. Do you think it’s unfortunate that the international system of diplomacy isn’t being used more, and that it’s this kind of one on one personal envoy structure?

MINISTER LAVROV: You did not express your disappointment that the international system of diplomacy was not used for the entire duration of the Biden administration.

MARGARET BRENNAN: No, I was asking your- whether you were disappointed–

MINISTER LAVROV: You did not- you did not mention that Europeans are really very nervous that they’re being marginalized. But I can quote a lot of what Europeans stated. I mentioned already Kaja Kallas and also Von der Leyen, who said any deal must make sure that Ukraine is stronger and that Ukraine is on top of Russia. Look, do you need negotiators who believe in this kind of logic and who don’t want to look for honest balance of interest? The bi- the Trump administration is interested in searching for a balance of interest. They sincerely want to understand better the Russian position, and they’re getting this understanding, and we understand better the American position through negotiations and meetings and discussions which we take- which we have with them.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Back in January, Russia signed a deal with Iran to become a strategic partner. Would Russia be willing to sever that relationship at the request of the U.S. if it meant better relations with America?

MINISTER LAVROV: There was never any request like this, and we welcome the process which was initiated between the United States and Iran. We are ready to be helpful if the parties believe this can be the case, and they know this.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You were the negotiator back in 2015 on behalf of Russia for that landmark international agreement, the JCPOA. And part of how Russia was helpful was destroying Iran’s enriched nuclear material. Is that an offer you would do again?

MINISTER LAVROV: We were not involved in destroying Iran’s nuclear material–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Disposing–

MINISTER LAVROV: The part of- the part of the deal was to move some amount of this material to Russia for keeping.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so not destroying, but keeping. Would you keep Iran’s enriched nuclear material that they’ve made in the past few years? Is that an offer to the U.S.?

MINISTER LAVROV: We are not putting our nose in the negotiations between two countries, one of which is not Russia. And I said very clearly, I believe, but you wanted a brief answer, I will have to be longer, since it is not probably getting through. We welcome the dialogue between the US and Iran. We would be certainly ready to help, if both parties believe this is going to be useful, and they know that we are ready.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, back then, there were sanctions and pressure at the UN. It’s a very different dynamic now. I want to ask you quickly about nuclear weapons, because Russia is such a nuclear powerhouse. According to U.S. intelligence, Russia is developing a new satellite meant to carry a nuclear weapon which would knock out other satellites and devastate the U.S., if it’s used. That’s in publicly published material. Does Russia intend to violate past treaties and actually put a nuclear weapon in space?

MINISTER LAVROV: Well before asking this question, you have to check whether this is true or not.

MARGARET BRENNAN: This is what U.S. intelligence says.

MINISTER LAVROV: U.S. intelligence. I was listening to President Trump about his views of what is the list of achievements of U.S. intelligence, and I have my own facts on which I- I rely. We have been promoting for many years in the United Nations a resolution prohibiting put- putting any nuclear weapons into outer space. The country which is categorically against it is the United States. At the same time, the United States promotes an approach, according to which they want to prohibit putting- putting conventional weapons in outer space. And they cannot answer the question, “Does this mean that nuclear weapons, they would be planning to move to the orbit?” So my answer is very clear: we have been championing in the United Nations a legal prohibition of placing any nuclear weapons in outer space. And the United States, at least during the Biden administration this was the case, they were categorically against it.

MARGARET BRENNAN: It was the Trump administration’s intelligence community that published those findings just a few weeks ago. Are you saying the Trump administration’s intelligence community findings are incorrect in regard to Russia developing a new satellite meant to carry a nuclear weapon?

MINISTER LAVROV: We- we denied those allegations. We, once again, cannot help repeating, have been promoting for years in the United Nations a treaty, not a declaration, a treaty prohibiting placing weapons in outer space. And the United States is against. I cannot comment about the validity of the intelligence reports. As I told you, we never received any facts which would confirm the allegations.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you have any interest in arms control talks with the United States, with the Trump administration?

MINISTER LAVROV: It was- it was the United States which broke the proc- the process of strengthening strategic stability. And as- if the United States is willing to get back to this track, we will see what are- what are the conditions under which this might be possible. As long as in the U.S. doctrinal document- doctrinal documents, we are described as “adversary,” when the officials in Washington called, some time ago, called us “enemy.” So we want to understand what Washington thinks of our relationship and whether Washington is ready for,I would emphasize once again, an equal, mutually respectful dialogue heading to finding a balance of interest. If this is the approach, everything is possible.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Minister, we are- we are coming up on time. But just, before I let you go, from everything you laid out, I haven’t heard from you that Russia is willing to make any concession on anything to date.

MINISTER LAVROV: No, my brief answer is you are wrong.

MARGARET BRENNAN: What concessions has Russia offered?

MINISTER LAVROV: Wait a second. Wait a second, please. I have been emphasizing repeatedly, in relation to Ukraine, in relation to strategic relations with the United States, I have been emphasizing our readiness to seek balance of interests. If- if this is not what your station considers readiness for negotiations, then I don’t know how to be even less eloquent in trying to be brief in my answers.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there have been very clear, specific things said by the Trump administration, such as the vice president saying that the current lines of contact in Ukraine would freeze and end up fairly close to where troops are right now. Do you actually consider that a concession?

MINISTER LAVROV: I don’t discuss publicly the details of what is being subject of negotiations. I understand that you love rumors, because rumors–

MARGARET BRENNAN: The vice president of the United States said it on camera.

MINISTER LAVROV: Was it a question?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Oh, well, rumor- rumor. You said it was a rumor. The vice president said it. Perhaps you missed it.

MINISTER LAVROV: No, I said about us, we are not discussing things which are subject to negotiations.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Minister Lavrov, thank you for your time this morning.

MINISTER LAVROV: Thank you.

[END TRANSCRIPT]