--- title: "Lavrov on negotiations with Ukraine: Moscow ready to return to dialogue, but blames the West for derailing peace" description: "Sergey Lavrov declared Russia's readiness to resume negotiations with Ukraine but accused the US and EU of derailing peace to arm Kyiv. πŸ‡·πŸ‡ΊπŸ€πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ The diplomat noted the tightening of sanctions by the Trump administration and Washington's refusal to play the role of mediator. βš–οΈπŸ“‰" date: 2026-06-23T09:56:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lavrov-on-negotiations-with-ukraine-moscow-ready-to-return-to-dialogue-en tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Lavrov on negotiations with Ukraine: Moscow ready to return to dialogue, but blames the West for derailing peace ![Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in front of the Russian flag, discussing negotiations with Ukraine and the West's role in the peace process](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/23/lavrov-o-peregovorakh-s-ukrainoi-moskva-gotova-vernutsya-k-dialogu/lavrov-o-peregovorakh-s-ukrainoi-moskva-gotova-vernutsya-k-dialogu-1.webp) A new emphasis has emerged in Russia's foreign policy discourse. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, declared Moscow's readiness to resume the negotiation process with Ukraine. According to the diplomat, Russia is prepared to return to discussions from the point where the dialogue was suspended. ### The "buying time" version However, the statement of readiness for peace is accompanied by harsh criticism of Western partners. Lavrov put forward the version that recent negotiations, which could have taken place in Alaska, were conceived not to achieve peace, but to "buy time for arming" the Ukrainian army. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry also accused the European Union of continuing to "pump" Kyiv with money and military equipment, thereby hindering the de-escalation of the conflict. ### Sanctions and the role of the US A significant part of Lavrov's speech was devoted to criticizing the actions of the United States. The Russian diplomat accused the Donald Trump administration of tightening sanctions pressure. According to him, in addition to extending all restrictions introduced under Joe Biden, a "substantial package of sanctions by the Trump administration against Russia" has already been adopted. Lavrov also pointed out that all statements made after the negotiations in Alaska were forgotten. The statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry notes that the US is renouncing claims to the role of an objective mediator in the Russo-Ukrainian war, while demanding an immediate ceasefire. ### Chronology of failures The context of Lavrov's statement is clarified by recent events in the diplomatic race. The last round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and the US took place on February 17–18, 2026, in Geneva. The next meeting was scheduled for March 5 in Abu Dhabi, but it was postponed, and a new date has not yet been determined. Previously, following threats of massive strikes on Ukraine, Moscow suddenly began talking about the priority of diplomacy. Lavrov then noted that the Russian Federation prefers to achieve its goals through negotiations rather than force. ### Regional tension Against the backdrop of these statements, tension is growing between Kyiv and Minsk. The Kremlin has already reacted to the ultimatum issued by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alexander Lukashenko. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov called the actions of the Ukrainian leader "incitement to continue the war".