Russia Won't Halt Ukraine Operations During Any Peace Talks, Lavrov Says
Sergey Lavrov said Russia will not pause its military operation in Ukraine for peace talks and invited Volodymyr Zelenskyy to come to Moscow if he wants to meet.
Russia will not suspend its military operations in Ukraine for the duration of any peace negotiations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday, while insisting that Moscow remains open to talks.
Speaking on the sidelines of the BRICS leaders' gathering in New Delhi, Lavrov said past experience had shaped that position. "We remain open to negotiations. However, the special military operation will not be halted for the duration of the talks. We have already been through that experience and have drawn our own conclusions," he said.
Asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to meet at the G20 summit in Miami, Lavrov said he had not heard of the offer. He remarked that Zelenskyy travels frequently and is rarely at home, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has domestic matters to oversee on a regular basis.
Lavrov said an invitation had been extended to Zelenskyy and that if he wishes to meet, he should come to Moscow. He described such a visit as a significant gesture of goodwill on Russia's part, noting that Kyiv has not revoked a decree barring contact with Putin and his team.
The remarks came as Zelenskyy renewed his call for direct talks with Putin, according to the exchange with a journalist at the event.