(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has strongly criticized Western journalism for its “unprofessional and harmful” portrayal of the Ukraine peace negotiations.

He specifically targeted the British publication Financial Times, accusing it of spreading “lies” about the delayed meeting between Putin and Trump in Hungary.

The summit had initially been announced in October. However, just days afterward, following a telephone conversation between Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the meeting was postponed.

Trump explained that he did not believe the gathering could bring an end to the Ukraine conflict.

The FT, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that the summit was canceled after Moscow submitted a list of “hardline demands” for resolving the conflict.

The article also suggested that the Lavrov-Rubio call was “brief and terse,” with Lavrov issuing “uncompromising” statements that led Rubio to think Russia was unwilling to engage in negotiations.

Lavrov rejected these claims, stating, “There are so many lies here.”

He clarified that the memo referenced by the FT was merely an unofficial draft summarizing agreements made in Alaska, sent prior to the Trump-Putin call.

During that conversation, Trump “did not say a word” about any “provocative or subversive paper that destroyed all hopes for a settlement.” Instead, Trump suggested a new summit in Budapest, which Putin agreed to.

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