Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared in New York that Moscow is not seeking a temporary ceasefire in its war with Ukraine. Instead, he said Russia demands a broader and permanent agreement to bring the conflict to a definitive end. His comments come as the United States pushes for at least a limited reduction in attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Lavrov made these remarks on September 23 during a UN Security Council session devoted to Ukraine.
Lavrov: Russia Rejects a Pause in Fighting
The head of Russian diplomacy stated that Moscow is not interested in a truce that, in his interpretation, would allow Ukraine and European countries to replenish their military stockpiles.
This reflects Russia’s position. European countries and Ukraine reject this view and argue a ceasefire could be the first step towards ending the conflict.
Lavrov also reiterated that Russia wants a “permanent” resolution to the war instead of a temporary halt to fighting.
As previously reported by Aktualizované.sk, Lavrov has declared that Russia is prepared to achieve its goals on the battlefield if negotiations fail.
Moscow and Kyiv Remain at Odds on Basic Conditions
The positions of the two sides remain far apart.
Russia insists on a settlement that addresses its territorial and security demands. Ukraine, for its part, stands firm on maintaining its sovereignty, security guarantees, and refuses any conditions that would, in Kyiv’s view, legitimize the Russian invasion or occupation of Ukrainian territory.
The Kremlin also said on Wednesday that, in its view, there are currently no conditions for moving to full-scale peace talks, though it maintains Moscow is open to negotiations.
US Pushes for Limited Energy Truce
Washington is therefore focusing on smaller steps that could reduce the intensity of fighting.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after talks with Lavrov, stated the United States is pressing both Russia and Ukraine to cease attacks on energy infrastructure.
Such an agreement would not constitute a full ceasefire.
However, it could protect power plants, electrical grids, refineries and other facilities whose destruction directly impacts civilians and the economy.
Aktualizované.sk has also reported that Donald Trump previously announced an agreement on refraining from attacks on energy targets, but Ukraine emphasized that it would honor this only if Moscow made the same commitment.
Ukraine Remains Open to Talks on Limiting Strikes
Following meetings in New York, Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine stands ready to stop attacks on Russian energy infrastructure if Russia halts its assaults on Ukraine’s energy system.
Kyiv continues to press for broader peace negotiations involving the United States.
So far, however, Russia has not signaled any willingness to accept a comprehensive ceasefire on terms proposed by Ukraine and its partners.
Moscow Defends Its War Objectives
During his address, Lavrov again invoked Russia’s familiar arguments about protecting the rights of Russian-speaking populations and ensuring Russian security interests.
The Russian leadership uses these claims to justify its actions against Ukraine.
Ukraine and most Western nations reject these assertions as justification for the invasion, which Russia launched in February 2022.
Diplomatic Talks Continue With No Major Breakthrough
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met Lavrov in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Washington is seeking to restart talks between Russia and Ukraine, but the gulf between their demands remains wide.
READ ALSO
Trump claims after call with Putin that the Russian president wants a deal on Ukraine
Lavrov’s rejection of a temporary ceasefire highlights that, even after another round of diplomatic discussions, no agreement has emerged to halt fighting along the front line.
In the near term, a more realistic subject for talks may be a narrower deal on energy infrastructure. Yet here too, there is still no confirmation that Russia and Ukraine have accepted identical terms or a mechanism for monitoring compliance.
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
