Lavrov says agrees with Rubio to continue phone calls

MOSCOW. Oct 21 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had agreed with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to continue phone calls.

"We have agreed to continue these phone calls in order to have a better understanding of where we stand and how to move in the right direction," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.

He said he discussed with Rubio on Monday "the situation as it stands today."

"As well as how to prepare for the next meeting the president of the United States has proposed holding in Budapest, which has been agreed in principle by the presidents of Russia and the U.S.," Lavrov said.

"Obviously, this is not about the venue, although the venue is also important in this case, considering the wave made by those who would not want to see the European Union as an association of sovereign states but would prefer addressing every issue within the framework of Brussels bureaucracy," he said.

"After all, the venue and the dates are not the most important things, the main thing is how we would make progress on the essence of the tasks that were agreed and on which a broad understanding was reached in Anchorage," Lavrov said.

Commenting on U.S. media reports, which said that the Putin-Trump meeting might be postponed, Lavrov said, "The unscrupulousness of many Western media outlets is well known."

"I would like to officially confirm that Russia has not changed its position on the understandings reached during the long negotiations held by Putin and Trump in Alaska. These understandings are based on the consent reached there, which was very succinctly formulated by President Trump who said there was need for enduring, strong peace instead of an immediate ceasefire that would lead to nothing. We stay committed to this wording. I confirmed it yesterday in the conversation with Marco Rubio," Lavrov said.