Negotiations to Take Place on the Battlefield: Lavrov

On Saturday, Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia is prepared to return to the negotiating table with Ukraine but will not entertain any proposals for a ceasefire.

RELATED:

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Meets Russian Counterpart

"President Vladimir Putin has declared our readiness to engage in negotiations. However, we will not entertain ceasefire proposals because we have done so before and were deceived," Lavrov mentioned during a press conference following his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

He reminded that meetings had taken place between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in April of 2022 and accused Kyiv of aiming to extend the military conflict to "wear down" Russia.

Lavrov also accused the U.S. and Western nations of prolonging the war by refusing to consider any peace proposal that deviates from President Volodymir Zelensky's position, which includes Russia's withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. According to the Russian FM, however, such a proposal is not viable.

"Do they want negotiations to take place on the battlefield? Very well, then it will be on the battlefield," he stressed.

Lavrov also questioned the position of Western countries regarding the requests that Russia has made to host the "Grain Deal," which aims to facilitate the flow of food and fertilizers through a secure corridor in the Black Sea.

He referred to proposals by UN Secretary Antonio Guterres to enable Russian financial transactions through a subsidiary of the Russian Agricultural Bank in Luxembourg to revive the agreement.

"We do not reject them.. They are simply not realistic," the Russian FM said and explained that the Luxembourg branch still needs to receive a banking permit to operate.

Lavrov accused Washington and its NATO allies of seeking to maintain the "status quo" out of fear of a "new world order" with greater involvement from the Global South nations.