--- title: "Lavrov: Russia Will Not Halt Combat Operations Against Ukraine During Negotiations" description: "Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia will not suspend combat operations against Ukraine even during possible negotiations. At the same time, he called Zelensky's invitation to Moscow a gesture of goodwill." date: 2026-09-12T14:22:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lavrov-russia-will-not-halt-combat-operations-against-ukraine-during-negotiations tags: [sergey-lavrov, russia-ukraine, brics-summit, g20, peace-talks, zelensky] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Lavrov: Russia Will Not Halt Combat Operations Against Ukraine During Negotiations ![Sergey Lavrov against the Munich Security Conference logo, stating that Russia will not halt combat operations against Ukraine during negotiations](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/12/lavrov-rf-ne-ostanovit-boevye-dejstviya-protiv-ukrainy-pri-peregovorah/lavrov-rf-ne-ostanovit-boevye-dejstviya-protiv-ukrainy-pri-peregovorah-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Lavrov stated that Russia is ready for negotiations but will not halt the special military operation for their period. - Lavrov called Zelensky's invitation to Moscow a "huge gesture of goodwill" on the part of Russia. - Zelensky earlier proposed a personal meeting of the leaders within the framework of the G20 summit in December 2026. - According to Ushakov, the possibility of Putin's trip to the G20 summit in Miami has not yet been discussed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow has no intention of pausing combat operations against Ukraine, even if a peace process were to begin. According to him, Russia remains ready for dialogue, however, the special military operation will continue during the period of negotiations. The statement was made in response to journalists' questions against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic signals from Kyiv and attempts to agree on the format of a personal meeting between the leaders of the two countries. ### Moscow's Position on Negotiations "We remain ready for negotiations, but we will not halt the special military operation for the period of negotiations," Lavrov told journalists, reportedly at the BRICS summit in New Delhi. Thus, the official Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry are cementing the position that the military and diplomatic tracks are developing in parallel: readiness to talk does not mean an automatic ceasefire or a freeze of combat operations. This wording underscores that, in Moscow's assessment, the negotiation process should not be accompanied by unilateral concessions on the battlefield. ### "Gesture of Goodwill" and Zelensky's Invitation Separately, Lavrov commented on Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to come to Moscow, calling it a "huge gesture of goodwill" on the part of Russia. This statement is important because Moscow publicly records Kyiv's initiative as a step toward contact, while simultaneously maintaining a hardline rhetoric regarding the conditions and dynamics of combat operations. The totality of these signals indicates that the diplomatic channel is formally open, but it is tied to the rigid demands of the Russian side. ### Context of the G20 Summit and a Personal Meeting of the Leaders Earlier, Zelensky effectively proposed that the head of the Russian state hold a personal meeting within the framework of the "Group of Twenty" summit, which, according to available data, is scheduled for December 2026. At the same time, according to Ushakov, the possibility of Putin's trip to the G20 summit in Miami had not even been discussed yet. This means that, despite the public invitations, the practical logistics and the political decision on a top-level meeting have not yet been formed, and the statements of the parties remain at the level of diplomatic signaling. ### Contradictory Data In publications by different media outlets, the context of Lavrov's statement is presented with discrepancies. In the main version, the minister's words are tied to the BRICS summit in New Delhi, while the initiative for a personal meeting of the leaders is discussed in the context of the G20 summit in Miami (December 2026) — that is, the talk is of two different venues and time frames, which may create confusion in interpretation. Moreover, in a number of materials the emphasis is placed on the fact that the implementation of the agreements referred to in the diplomatic track (including in connection with Anchorage) would allow stopping the conflict, whereas in Lavrov's direct statement the refusal to pause combat operations is emphasized. Thus, the same position is conveyed through different formulations: from "balance of interests" to "readiness for negotiations without halting the operation," and it is important for the reader to distinguish the direct quote from its expansive interpretations in the media. ### Assessments and Possible Consequences The position voiced by Lavrov effectively closes off the scenario of an automatic ceasefire in exchange for opening negotiations and shifts the focus to the conditions that Moscow considers acceptable. For Kyiv, this means that diplomatic signals (including the invitation to Moscow and the proposal for a meeting at the G20) do not guarantee de-escalation, and for international mediators — that agreeing even on the format of a personal meeting of the leaders remains an open question. The further dynamics will depend on whether the parties can move from rhetoric to specific parameters of negotiations and on the decision regarding Putin's participation in the G20 summit in Miami. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Russia Will Not Pause the War Against Ukraine During Negotiations, - Lavrov](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rf-robitime-pauzu-viyni-proti-ukrayini-pid-1789222700.html) - Подтверждает основную цитату Лаврова об отказе от паузы в боевых действиях во время переговоров. - [Lavrov: Russia Will Not Go In for Agreements Without Observing a Balance of Interests](https://www.kp.ru/online/news/7160300/) - Комплементарная формулировка позиции Москвы о условиях переговоров и балансе интересов. - [Lavrov: Russia Is Not Intending to Halt Combat Operations for the Sake of Negotiations](https://mignews.com/news/politic/lavrov-rossiya-ne-namerena-ostanavlivat-boevye-dejstviya-radi-peregovorov.html) - Подтверждает тезис о неостановке боевых действий ради переговорного процесса. - [Lavrov: Implementing the Anchorage Agreements Would Allow Stopping the Conflict](https://tass.ru/politika/27948047) - Добавляет дипломатический трек (Анкоридж) и альтернативную формулировку; использовано в блоке противоречивых данных как расширительная интерпретация. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Will Russia halt combat operations during negotiations? **A:** No. According to Lavrov, Russia is ready for negotiations, but it will not halt the special military operation for their period. ### Q: How did Lavrov comment on Zelensky's invitation to Moscow? **A:** He called it a "huge gesture of goodwill" on the part of Russia. ### Q: Where, according to sources, was Lavrov's statement made? **A:** In the main version, the minister's words are tied to the BRICS summit in New Delhi, while the initiative for a personal meeting is discussed in the context of the G20 summit in Miami (December 2026). ### Q: Is Putin's trip to the G20 summit being discussed? **A:** According to Ushakov, the possibility of Putin's trip to the G20 summit in Miami has not even been discussed yet.