Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has refuted claims of a proposed peace agreement concerning Ukraine and NATO, allegedly put forward by advisors to President-elect Trump. In an interview with the Russian state news agency TASS, Lavrov dismissed the reported deal, which supposedly involved a 20-year delay on Ukraine's NATO membership and the deployment of British and European peacekeeping forces within Ukraine. Lavrov attributed the information to "leaks" and cited Trump's TIME Magazine interview, although the interview made no mention of NATO. He also reiterated Russia's stance that NATO's expansion is a root cause of the Ukraine conflict.

Lavrov accused NATO of direct involvement in the conflict, alleging participation in military planning and combat operations alongside Ukrainian forces. He further claimed NATO's complicity in attacks within Russia, echoing statements made by President Putin. In his TIME Person of the Year interview, Trump expressed his desire to end the war, emphasizing the need for negotiation and agreement without abandonment. He criticized sending long-range missiles into Russia, viewing it as an escalatory action. Trump also maintained that the Russian invasion would not have occurred under his presidency.

Over a week prior to Lavrov's interview, Putin indicated a willingness to negotiate and compromise, while asserting Russia's strengthened position since 2022. He predicted a dwindling number of Ukrainians willing to fight and expressed Russia's readiness for negotiations, contingent on the other side's willingness to compromise. Fox News Digital contacted Trump's team for a response but has not yet received a reply. (Reuters contributed to this report)