New York, September 24, 2026 — The Europe Today: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia would not suspend its special military operation in Ukraine for the duration of negotiations, speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
Lavrov said Moscow had drawn lessons from previous negotiating experiences and would not agree to a temporary halt in military operations while diplomatic talks were underway.
“Having learned from bitter experience, we will not pause the special military operation for the duration of negotiations in any format,” Lavrov said.
He further alleged that European countries were seeking a pause in the fighting in order to allow Ukraine to replenish what he described as depleted military arsenals.
“Although this is precisely what Europe wants,” Lavrov said, adding that, in Russia’s assessment, the objective was “to gain a respite and replenish the depleted military arsenals of the Kiev regime.”
Lavrov also accused the Ukrainian authorities of having resorted to what he characterized as “openly terrorist methods,” linking the allegation to what he described as growing desperation on Kyiv’s part.
His remarks came during a UN Security Council discussion focused on the situation in Ukraine, amid continuing international diplomatic efforts and calls for a resolution to the conflict.
Russia’s position, as outlined by Lavrov, is that negotiations should not be accompanied by a temporary suspension of its military operation.
