Russia refuses to stop attacking Ukraine during peace negotiations, Lavrov says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared on September 12 that Moscow would not cease its full-scale invasion of Ukraine during peace negotiations. This came on the same day President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed a willingness to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December.

Lavrov stated that Russia remains open to talks, but the war against Ukraine will not be paused during this period. He referenced past attempts at limited truces, suggesting that Russia violated them in the past. Regarding Zelensky's invitation for Putin to meet at the G20, Lavrov reiterated the Kremlin's stance that leaders can only meet in Moscow.

He claimed Moscow was showing goodwill by not canceling its decree banning contacts with Putin and his team, implying Zelensky lacks good intentions. Zelensky and Putin have not met since before Russia's invasion in February 2022. While Zelensky has been willing to meet Putin, he has ruled out Moscow as a venue for peace talks and proposed meeting in a third country, which the Kremlin has consistently denied.

Both sides have insisted on talks during a cessation of hostilities, with Kyiv willing to uphold an unconditional ceasefire if Russia does the same. The latest U.S.-led efforts to resume negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow followed Lavrov and Zelensky's comments, but no breakthrough was achieved.