--- title: "Lavrov at the UN Security Council: Russia Will Not Pause the SMO During Negotiations" description: "Lavrov stated at the UN Security Council that Russia will not pause the SMO during negotiations. Meanwhile, Rubio reported Moscow's interest in an energy ceasefire, and Zelenskyy confirmed Kyiv's readiness for a mutual halt to strikes on energy facilities." date: 2026-09-23T16:52:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lavrov-no-smo-pause-during-ukraine-talks tags: [russia, ukraine-war, lavrov, rubio, zelensky, ceasefire, un-security-council, energy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Lavrov at the UN Security Council: Russia Will Not Pause the SMO During Negotiations ![Lavrov at the UN Security Council: Russia will not pause the special military operation during talks](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/lavrov-otkaz-ot-pauzy-svo-peregovory-ukraina/lavrov-otkaz-ot-pauzy-svo-peregovory-ukraina-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Lavrov stated at the UN Security Council that Russia will not pause the SMO during negotiations in any format. - US Secretary of State Rubio, conversely, reported Russia's interest in a ceasefire involving a limited halt to strikes on energy facilities. - Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine's readiness for an energy ceasefire on the basis of reciprocity and expressed hope to end the war by winter with Trump's assistance. - There is a direct discrepancy between the statements of Moscow and Washington on the question of a pause in hostilities. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, stated during a meeting of the UN Security Council that Moscow does not intend to suspend hostilities during any possible negotiations on settling the conflict in Ukraine. In his words, Russia "will not make a pause in the special military operation for the duration of negotiations, in any format." Lavrov added that, in his assessment, this is precisely the scenario Europe is pursuing, as Europe, he claimed, needs "a breather to replenish the depleted military arsenals of the Kyiv regime." ### Statements on Ukrainian legislation During the same speech, the Russian minister also commented on Ukraine's domestic legislation. Lavrov claimed that in Ukraine, "with the approval of the West," norms are allegedly in force that prohibit the use of the Russian language in all spheres of public life. This statement was made in the context of the Russian side's overall rhetoric, which traditionally emphasizes the linguistic and cultural dimension of the conflict. ### US and Ukrainian positions on an energy ceasefire Against the backdrop of Lavrov's statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a different assessment on the same day: in his words, Russia expressed interest in a ceasefire with Ukraine that provides for a limited halt to mutual strikes on energy facilities. In parallel, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Kyiv's readiness for an "energy ceasefire" — Ukraine, he said, is ready to stop strikes on Russian energy facilities on the condition that Russia halts attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy also expressed hope that, with the assistance of US President Donald Trump, the war could be ended before winter. ### Contradictory data There is a direct discrepancy between the statements of the parties. On the one hand, Lavrov publicly declared that Russia will not make a pause in hostilities in any format of negotiations. On the other hand, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, it was Russia that expressed interest in a ceasefire involving a limited halt to strikes on energy facilities. Thus, one side denies readiness for any format of pause, while the other claims that such interest was expressed. The misreading also concerns the scale: the discussion is either about a complete absence of a pause or about a partial, "energy" ceasefire. As of the time of preparing this material, no independent confirmation of the specific content of any agreements between Moscow and Washington on this issue had been received. ### Context and significance The totality of the statements indicates that the question of a ceasefire remains one of the key and most contentious items in the diplomatic track around Ukraine. Kyiv's position, tied to reciprocity in the energy sphere, and Moscow's rhetoric, which rules out a pause, form opposing vectors. The outcomes of the contacts between Lavrov and Rubio in New York, as well as further signals from Washington and Brussels, will determine whether at least a partial regime for halting strikes on energy infrastructure can be agreed upon before the winter period. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Lavrov said whether Russia will stop the war during negotiations with Ukraine](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/lavrov-rozpoviv-chi-zupinit-rf-viynu-chas-1790182123.html) - Подтверждает заявление Лаврова на заседании Совбеза ООН об отказе делать паузу в СВО на период переговоров, а также его оценки относительно Европы и законодательства Украины. - [Everyone understands the energy ceasefire differently. A comment by Georgiy Bova](https://www.bfm.ru/news/618790) - Контекстный источник по теме энергетического перемирия; подчёркивает различие трактовок режима прекращения ударов по энергетике сторонами. - [Rubio held talks with Lavrov on Ukraine — what they agreed on](https://glavred.info/world/rubio-provel-peregovory-s-lavrovym-po-ukraine-o-chem-oni-dogovorilis-10798859.html) - Контекст по контакту Рубио и Лаврова; содержание договорённостей по перемирию в основном тексте дано без прямой цитаты, требует дополнительной сверки. - [Lavrov arrived in New York and will meet with Rubio today: they will discuss the war in Ukraine](https://unn.ua/ru/news/lavrov-pribil-v-nyu-iork-i-segodnya-vstretitsya-s-rubio-budut-govorit-o-voine-v-ukraine) - Подтверждает факт прибытия Лаврова в Нью-Йорк и встречу с Рубио в контексте обсуждения войны в Украине. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Will Russia stop the fighting during negotiations? **A:** According to Sergey Lavrov's statement at the UN Security Council meeting, Russia will not pause the special military operation during negotiations in any format. ### Q: What did US Secretary of State Marco Rubio say? **A:** Rubio stated that Russia expressed interest in a ceasefire with Ukraine providing for a limited halt to mutual strikes on energy facilities. ### Q: What is Ukraine's position on an energy ceasefire? **A:** President Zelenskyy declared Kyiv's readiness to stop strikes on Russian energy facilities if Russia halts attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and expressed hope to end the war by winter with the assistance of the US President. ### Q: Is there a contradiction in the parties' statements? **A:** Yes. Lavrov denies readiness for any format of pause, while Rubio claims that Russia is interested in a partial energy ceasefire. This discrepancy is outlined in the 'Contradictory data' section.