Calls For Ceasefire in Ukraine Aim to Buy Zelensky Time

https://sputnikglobe.com/20251026/calls-for-ceasefire-in-ukraine-aim-to-buy-zelensky-time—lavrov-1123018861.html

Calls For Ceasefire in Ukraine Aim to Buy Zelensky Time – Lavrov

Sputnik International

Calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine are just an attempt to buy Volodymyr Zelensky some time again, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. 26.10.2025, Sputnik International

2025-10-26T16:44+0000

2025-10-26T17:59+0000

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“When we hear these calls for a ceasefire now, we understand that what they really want is simply to gain time again. And this logic — deeply rooted in Zelensky’s mind and consciousness — is absolutely clear to any objective observer,” the minister said.Russia has made its position on the territorial issue heard in many discussions regarding the Ukrainian peace process, notably at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meetings with other leaders, Sergey Lavrov said.The minister was asked by Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang about whether Russia’s conditions for negotiations on Ukraine included flexibility on territorial matters, specifically when it came to parts of Donbas, Kherson and Zaporozhye that remain under Ukrainian armed control.The top Russian diplomat reiterated that the territories in question are historically Russian lands.”The ‘new’ territories which you mentioned, they are not actually ‘new’ territories. They are historic Russian territories. Yes, after the Soviet Union disappeared, this was left inside the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic,” Lavrov said.Russia does not want to interfere in internal US discussions on Ukraine, as the United States is already under “huge, unbelievable pressure” from Volodymyr Zelensky and the European Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.The initiative for a new summit meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is still there, Sergei Lavrov said.After Putin and Trump agreed to meet in Budapest, Lavrov had a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”As I said, I heard that the State Department issued a communique saying that it was a good and productive phone conversation between Rubio and Lavrov. And it was so good that for the time being, we don’t need any meetings,” Lavrov said in an interview with the Ultrahang YouTube channel.Therefore, the initiative for a meeting is still on the table, the Russian foreign minister added.Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday that the topic of new negotiations and meetings had not been raised with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio since they last spoke on the phone on October 20.Lavrov said in an interview with the Ultrahang YouTube channel that he did not want to press the United States on new contacts.”After we talked with Marco Rubio regarding following up on the results of Alaska, he did not mention any new meetings or conversations. And I did not raise the issue, because the entire initiative was coming from the United States. And we would be ready to move as the Americans feel comfortable for themselves,” Lavrov said.Addressing Root Causes of Ukraine Conflict Key to Understanding It”Root causes, that is what must be key to understanding how to help end this situation efficiently, thinking not about grabbing back territories, not about saving political losers who are ruling in Kiev, but thinking about the people who should be the utmost concern of those who say that they are champions of democracy,” Lavrov said.Russia has been unfairly accused of violating multiple treaties, for example, the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, Lavrov said.Russia has recognized the Ukraine of the past, which was very different from the country currently run by the “openly nazist regime,” he said, adding that when Ukraine tries to get into NATO under the pretense that it has “the right to choose alliances,” this goes against Russia’s reading of the situation.”When we recognize somebody, it is on the basis of what this country is, according to its own proclamation,” the foreign minister said.It is unfair to ask when is Russia going “to end the war,” Lavrov argued. He said the international community should ask the Ukrainian government first.There are many pieces of Ukrainian legislation that explicitly violate its constitution and endanger minorities, including not only the Russians, but also the Hungarian national minority in western Ukraine, the minister said.Only asking Russia to give back the territories it took control of is inappropriate, Lavrov said.”Actually, we now have taken some other territories which do not belong to the regions reflected now in our Constitution. The reason is very simple. We need a buffer zone. Because Ukrainians continue shelling, bombing, droning Russian territory, including the territories which never were challenged by anybody,” he said.

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16:44 GMT 26.10.2025 (Updated: 17:59 GMT 26.10.2025)

Calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine are just an attempt to buy Volodymyr Zelensky some time again, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Russia has made its position on the territorial issue heard in many discussions regarding the Ukrainian peace process, notably at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meetings with other leaders, Sergey Lavrov said.

The minister was asked by Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang about whether Russia’s conditions for negotiations on Ukraine included flexibility on territorial matters, specifically when it came to parts of Donbas, Kherson and Zaporozhye that remain under Ukrainian armed control.

“Well, this is all reflected in many discussions. President Putin addressed this issue regularly when he was asked by journalists, or when he meets with [US] President [Donald] Trump, or with [Hungarian] Prime Minister [Viktor] Orban, Prime Minister [Robert] Fico, all those who are interested in talking to Russia, better understanding Russia’s position, they always have a chance and opportunity to come and discuss whatever is of interest for them,” Lavrov said.

The top Russian diplomat reiterated that the territories in question are historically Russian lands.

“The ‘new’ territories which you mentioned, they are not actually ‘new’ territories. They are historic Russian territories. Yes, after the Soviet Union disappeared, this was left inside the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic,” Lavrov said.

Russia does not want to interfere in internal US discussions on Ukraine, as the United States is already under “huge, unbelievable pressure” from Volodymyr Zelensky and the European Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

“From the diplomatic point of view, we don’t want to interfere in their internal considerations. We don’t want to create some discomfort for the United States, which is under huge, unbelievable pressure from the European ‘hawks,’ from Zelensky, and others who don’t want to have any American-Russian cooperation on anything,” Lavrov said in an interview with Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang.

The initiative for a new summit meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is still there, Sergei Lavrov said.

After Putin and Trump agreed to meet in Budapest, Lavrov had a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“As I said, I heard that the State Department issued a communique saying that it was a good and productive phone conversation between Rubio and Lavrov. And it was so good that for the time being, we don’t need any meetings,” Lavrov said in an interview with the Ultrahang YouTube channel.

Therefore, the initiative for a meeting is still on the table, the Russian foreign minister added.

“The initiative is there, and we are polite people. And when we are invited, we say, yes, let’s agree how and where and when. And when this invitation is canceled, as President Trump said yesterday in the White House. Later they said that ‘cancel’ means ‘postpone.’ It’s up to those who initiated the process,” Lavrov said.

Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday that the topic of new negotiations and meetings had not been raised with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio since they last spoke on the phone on October 20.

Lavrov said in an interview with the Ultrahang YouTube channel that he did not want to press the United States on new contacts.

“After we talked with Marco Rubio regarding following up on the results of Alaska, he did not mention any new meetings or conversations. And I did not raise the issue, because the entire initiative was coming from the United States. And we would be ready to move as the Americans feel comfortable for themselves,” Lavrov said.

Addressing Root Causes of Ukraine Conflict Key to Understanding It

“Root causes, that is what must be key to understanding how to help end this situation efficiently, thinking not about grabbing back territories, not about saving political losers who are ruling in Kiev, but thinking about the people who should be the utmost concern of those who say that they are champions of democracy,” Lavrov said.

Russia has been unfairly accused of violating multiple treaties, for example, the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, Lavrov said.

“First, we recognized Ukraine on the basis of its own Declaration of Independence and its Constitution. In 1990, the Declaration of Independence was adopted, which says [that Ukraine is a] non-nuclear, neutral, non-bloc country with the rights of all national minorities, and so on and so forth,” Lavrov said.

Russia has recognized the Ukraine of the past, which was very different from the country currently run by the “openly nazist regime,” he said, adding that when Ukraine tries to get into NATO under the pretense that it has “the right to choose alliances,” this goes against Russia’s reading of the situation.

“When we recognize somebody, it is on the basis of what this country is, according to its own proclamation,” the foreign minister said.

It is unfair to ask when is Russia going “to end the war,” Lavrov argued. He said the international community should ask the Ukrainian government first.

“People only ask, when are you going to end the war? When are you going to have a ceasefire? It’s not honest, if you wish. An honest discussion would be to tell Ukrainians, before anything else, to restore language rights, restore all national minority rights, because your constitution says so,” the foreign minister said.

There are many pieces of Ukrainian legislation that explicitly violate its constitution and endanger minorities, including not only the Russians, but also the Hungarian national minority in western Ukraine, the minister said.

Only asking Russia to give back the territories it took control of is inappropriate, Lavrov said.

“Actually, we now have taken some other territories which do not belong to the regions reflected now in our Constitution. The reason is very simple. We need a buffer zone. Because Ukrainians continue shelling, bombing, droning Russian territory, including the territories which never were challenged by anybody,” he said.