Return to “on the ground”
Sergey Lavrov claimed that Kyiv has refused negotiations with Russia, insisting that Ukraine wants to revert to the situation as of February 24 this year. He described Kyiv’s aims as sometimes contradictory paraphrases, calling them fantasies in his view.
“Ukraine does not want to negotiate; it refused to do so. We have every reason to believe that in this course the Anglo-Saxon leadership is guiding the process,” Lavrov stated.
He added that Moscow is prepared to work with proposals Ukraine offered during talks, but the draft treaty based on those ideas has remained inactive on Kyiv’s side for roughly six weeks. Lavrov emphasized that diplomatic ties with Western nations, including those perceived as adversaries, continue to exist, while Russia does not seek to impose itself on others.
Lavrov reiterated that the main geopolitical takeaway from the current circumstances is that negotiating with Europe cannot be relied upon to deliver. He said that Moscow would assess whatever Europeans propose and, if it aligns with Russia’s interests, would be ready to maintain contact.
“Unthinkable” situation
Lavrov described his failed Serbia visit as unthinkable, noting that neighboring states Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia closed their airspace to his plane. He argued such moves undermine Belgrade’s sovereign right to pursue its own foreign policy.
“The unthinkable happened, and it is important to assess these acts. There was a deprivation of a sovereign state’s ability to conduct its foreign policy. Serbia’s international activities toward Russia faced obstruction,” he said.
Lavrov said the visit to Serbia was perceived in the West as a potential global threat, and overall Western responses appeared to him as gravely strained. He added that Moscow would not take actions that hinder people-to-people communication, criticizing Western partners for doing otherwise.
He noted that no official statements had yet arrived from countries that blocked the Russian foreign minister’s flight, but he expected some clarification soon. “Countries that refuse to overflight the Russian plane will claim they were ordered by the EU and NATO, while others will insist they acted independently,” Lavrov explained.
During his Serbia trip, Lavrov expressed sympathy for those who continue to be friendly toward Russia despite political pressure in the region. He rejected reports that he was an unwelcome guest in Serbia and suggested that the visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was also planning to travel to the Balkans, was arranged to move forward with discussions.
Lavrov also announced an invitation to Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic to visit Moscow shortly, expressing hope that the visit would proceed without complications and that Selakovic would travel without hindrance so as not to suffer further political fallout.
“We extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic to come to Russia soon. I hope the trip proceeds smoothly, perhaps even by plane that does not encounter undue restrictions, so that no one faces unnecessary embarrassment,” the diplomat stated.
Food and weapons
Lavrov announced that Russian experts would travel to Turkey on Monday as talks about Ukrainian grain proceed. He said Moscow and Ankara should develop mechanisms to remove obstacles to grain exports from Ukraine.
“Experts will depart for Turkey today, and the delegation will follow tomorrow. It is not only necessary to resolve this now but also to enable leaders to finalize options that depend on them. The question is who should work with Ukraine, who should hold Ukraine accountable for clearing its ports, and who will remove all barriers to the delivery, insurance, and maintenance of ships that will carry grain and other food products to Ukrainian ports, Europe, and from there to ports in developing countries.”
Lavrov underscored that the longer the West delays supplying Ukraine with missile systems, the more pronounced the effort will be to push away the threat to Russian populations in Ukraine and the Russian Federation. He also indicated skepticism about Zelensky’s assurances that Kyiv would refrain from attacking Russian territory, suggesting a gap between rhetoric and action in the ongoing conflict.