Russian Foreign Minister says Moscow committed to Ukraine peace talks, denies stalling

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday rejected accusations that Moscow is avoiding peace negotiations with Ukraine, asserting that previous rounds were halted by Western powers rather than the Kremlin while emphasizing Russia's readiness to maintain dialogue with Washington and other Western capitals.

Moscow 'ready' for Ukraine dialogue

Speaking to reporters following his address to the UN General Assembly in New York, Lavrov dismissed claims that Russia is shunning diplomatic contact. "Previous rounds of talks were not halted by Moscow, but rather by those who today claim that the Russians are avoiding contact and have nothing to say," he said, attributing the breakdown to Western parties.

Washington dialogue channels remain open

On bilateral relations with Washington, Lavrov noted that Moscow and the United States maintain regular communication through various diplomatic channels. "We are ready; we will always engage in dialogue – especially with countries like the United States," he said. "We will always listen, and we will always speak honestly about what we disagree with."

He added that Russia considers the understandings reached during last year's summit in Alaska to remain valid and is prepared to return to that framework.

Berlin meeting produces 'nothing new'

Lavrov addressed his recent meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the first such encounter since 2022, stating that Berlin requested the talks "at the very last minute" yet arrived without fresh proposals. "When asked to outline the purpose of his visit, the German minister took out his notes and read a text that merely reiterated what Germany's leaders officially and publicly declare on a daily basis," Lavrov said.

He noted that he gleaned nothing new from the exchange and conveyed this directly to Wadephul, adding that there appeared to be an expectation that Moscow should offer concessions on Ukraine simply because Berlin had agreed to establish contact.

Iran-US tensions and UN leadership

Asked about US President Donald Trump's rejection of an Iranian proposal to address the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran, Lavrov suggested the parties could return to the June framework deal mediated by Pakistan. "We believe the Islamabad Memorandum was a fair deal," he said. "As the saying goes – and given that it was signed at the highest level, presumably with full awareness of what was being done – why not revisit it?"

On the upcoming election for UN secretary-general, Lavrov stated that he expects the new chief to represent the interests of the international community as a whole. The term of current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expires at the end of this year.