Differences over Ukraine deal resolved, Russia says

MOSCOW — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that all "misunderstandings" with the United States over Ukraine had been resolved following a meeting earlier this month between President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

The Kremlin praised the Dec 2 meeting with Witkoff and Jared Kushner as "constructive", though no major breakthroughs were reached to solve the conflict in Ukraine.

Lavrov said the talks had confirmed "mutual understandings" reached between Putin and US President Donald Trump at a summit in Alaska in August.

"Now, here, in our negotiations with the Americans on the Ukraine issue, I personally believe that the misunderstandings and miscommunications have been resolved," he said.

Russia wants a package of documents agreed to underpin a long-term and sustainable peace deal in Ukraine with security guarantees for all parties involved, he said.

"We understand that when discussing security guarantees, we cannot limit ourselves to Ukraine alone."

Lavrov also said Russia would not accept Ukraine getting NATO membership and that Moscow wanted protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine.

For Ukraine, officials told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday that Kyiv has sent Washington an updated plan for ending the conflict.

A first US plan that involved Ukraine ceding land that Russia has not captured was seen by Kyiv and its European allies as caving in to too many of Russia's hard-line demands, and has since been revised.

A Ukrainian official briefed on the latest version said it "takes into account Ukraine's vision — it is a further proposal for adequate solutions to problematic issues".

Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives passed a massive defense policy bill on Wednesday authorizing a record $901 billion in annual military spending, including aid of $400 million to Ukraine in each of the next two years to buy US weapons.

The tally was 312-112 in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act, sending it for consideration by the Senate, which is expected to pass it next week.

Shi Guang in New York contributed to this story.

Agencies via Xinhua