Lavrov says Russia supports direct negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions

MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that he supports the start of direct negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions, rejecting Kyiv's interest in a 30-day temporary ceasefire.

Moscow considers a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine is asking for, to be a precondition, Lavrov said at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, following a meeting of the economic bloc BRICS foreign ministers, which was broadcast live on Russian TV channels.

The minister emphasized that Russia had previously declared unilateral ceasefires, and Ukraine had taken advantage of those opportunities to strengthen its military capabilities.

Lavrov refuted Kyiv's narrative, claiming Moscow rejects a longer ceasefire.

The minister emphasized that the Russian side approaches the issue responsibly and seeks long-term solutions, insisting that serious negotiations defining specific terms must precede such a ceasefire.

“Vladimir Putin supported this idea, but said that it should be formulated in such a way that it would not fail, like all previous attempts of this kind,” he said.

Lavrov underscored that Kyiv failed to comply with the Easter ceasefire, announced by Putin, and has yet to clarify its position on another Russian peace initiative — a cessation of hostilities during the 80th anniversary of World War II.

Turning to the Russia-US talks, the top Russian diplomat characterized them as a "return to normalcy," emphasizing that numerous countries view this positively.

The minister also expressed concern over the worsening situation in the Palestinian territories, the Middle East as a whole, and many regions of the African continent.