Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made clear that Moscow will reject any political concessions in talks with Washington, even as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrive in Russia seeking a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to university graduates entering Russia's diplomatic service, Lavrov said Moscow would consider American proposals only if they offered concrete economic and financial benefits — and nothing more.

"Basically, American presidential history is marked by what has already become a political tradition and a method accepted by everyone: a new president is not bound by any decisions made by his predecessor," Lavrov said, explaining why he believes Trump's overtures cannot be trusted as lasting commitments.

That approach, he said, "will be used to bargain with us and to allow US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to continue traveling here under Donald Trump and try to organize something for us."

"We will see what they propose," he added. "If they propose something that benefits us economically and financially then why not?"

But he was equally firm on the limits: "It should not involve any political concessions on our part, and we also should not expect a political situation to emerge that will favor us in all global affairs. We must rely only on ourselves."

Trump defends Russia sanctions waivers, rebukes Zelensky for refusing to end war

US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that Kiev was launching attacks on diesel refineries in Russia despite knowing it was “seriously hurting the world diesel markets.”

The remarks came as Witkoff arrived in Russia on Wednesday for negotiations with President Vladimir Putin, following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed Putin would meet Witkoff at Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg, with Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev also expected to join.

Kushner was not expected to attend because of illness, despite having taken part in previous diplomatic contacts alongside Witkoff.

The latest visit followed a September 5 meeting in Moscow, when the two held more than three hours of talks with Putin — discussions that ended without a publicly announced breakthrough, though the Kremlin described them as "constructive, frank and useful."

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump defended his decision to waive sanctions on Russia, writing on Truth Social that Kiev was attacking diesel refineries in Russia despite knowing it was "seriously hurting the world diesel markets" — a rebuke aimed at Zelensky for refusing to end the war.