Lavrov: Negotiations Are Not a Reason to Halt Military Operations in Ukraine
At the United Nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered a firm statement on the Ukraine issue, explicitly stating that Russia will not suspend its special military operation for any form of negotiation.
Lavrov noted that while President Putin has repeatedly emphasized willingness to achieve a stable and just peace through dialogue, Moscow has drawn lessons from past "painful experiences." He stressed that European actors have consistently sought ceasefire during negotiations—primarily to gain breathing room to replenish Kyiv’s increasingly depleted military reserves. Consequently, Russia will make no concessions in its military operations until a final agreement is reached.
Recalling the conflict’s history, Lavrov directly criticized Western conduct as deceptive. He stated that Ukraine had multiple opportunities to preserve its national integrity, but due to persistent European duplicity, the situation deteriorated into its current state.
If the agreement reached between Ukraine’s government and opposition on February 21, 2014, had been implemented, Ukraine could have retained its territorial boundaries as established in 1991.
If the Minsk agreements, signed by Ukraine’s president at the time, had been genuinely enforced, Ukraine could have preserved its 1991 borders—excluding the Crimean Peninsula.
Yet Europe failed to restrain what Lavrov described as an “inherent tendency to lie,” resorting instead to criminal means to achieve its objectives. Prior to Russia’s special military operation, Ukraine was preparing to use force to reclaim areas beyond its current control in Donbas.
Lavrov also revealed that preliminary draft agreements on Ukraine’s neutrality and collective security arrangements were reached between Moscow and Kyiv in spring 2022. However, under pressure from former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Kyiv ultimately abandoned the accord and continued military hostilities.
More recently, following a meeting between Putin and Trump in Alaska, European leaders openly declared that “Anchorage” (referring to the outcomes of the Russia-US summit) had been effectively buried, attempting to undermine the consensus reached.
Lavrov further underscored Russia’s core positions regarding cultural and ethnic rights. He stated that one of the key objectives of the special military operation is to safeguard the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking populations.
He sharply criticized Ukraine as the only country in the world that prohibits an entire language. While English remains widely spoken in Ireland, he pointed out, Ukraine enforces a comprehensive ban on Russian language across education, media, culture, and religious life—including suppression of activities by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Lavrov emphasized that Russia demands full respect for the legitimate rights of Russian-speaking communities within Ukraine—a demand currently ignored despite Western complicity.
Finally, Lavrov raised pointed questions about the United Nations’ impartiality. He accused the organization of applying the principle of self-determination inconsistently, particularly in cases involving Greenland, Crimea, and Donbas. In a rhetorical counterpoint, he noted that Moscow awaits a similar response from the UN should Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland face future sovereignty debates.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1877162855388188/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.