Lavrov Says Russia Ready for Ukraine Peace Talks, Rejects Ceasefire During Negotiations

NEW YORK: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Russia remains ready for negotiations aimed at achieving what Moscow describes as a lasting and just peace in Ukraine, while insisting that it will not suspend its military operation during the talks.

Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Lavrov said Russia’s position was based on what he described as the failure to implement the 2015 Minsk agreements and the rejection of Moscow’s December 2021 proposals on European security.

Lavrov argued that if the Minsk agreements had been implemented, Ukraine would have retained its 1991 borders, except for Crimea. He also said an agreement discussed by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in 2022 would have provided for Ukrainian neutrality, recognition of what Moscow described as realities on the ground, and collective security guarantees.

According to Lavrov, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held several rounds of negotiations in Belarus and Istanbul shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

He said the Ukrainian side had proposed key principles for a settlement, which Russian negotiators accepted, including Ukrainian neutrality and security guarantees.

Lavrov said the document was initialled by the two delegations but was never formalised into a treaty.

He argued that if the agreement had been concluded and implemented, Ukraine would have retained most of its 1991 borders but without Crimea and parts of Donbass.

Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness for negotiations.

However, he stressed that Russia would not suspend its military operation for the duration of negotiations, regardless of their format.

Lavrov also criticised European governments, saying Moscow believed a temporary pause would provide Kyiv with an opportunity to replenish its military supplies.

He accused the Ukrainian government of resorting to what Moscow describes as terrorist methods, a characterisation rejected by Kyiv and its supporters.

During his remarks, Lavrov also referred to the issue of Greenland, questioning how international principles concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity were being applied.

He said Greenland was different from Crimea and Donbass and questioned how the UN Secretariat would respond to possible future questions concerning Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Lavrov called for UN statements to remain consistent with international law and referred to the UN Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States.

Lavrov further argued that the Ukrainian government could not be regarded, in Moscow’s view, as representing the interests of people in Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya.

His remarks reflected Russia’s broader position on the Ukraine conflict and its interpretation of territorial status and self-determination.

Russia’s position remains disputed by Ukraine and many UN member states, which continue to regard Ukraine’s internationally recognised territorial integrity as the basis for a diplomatic settlement.