---
title: "\"You are not winning this war\": UK Foreign Secretary publicly addresses Lavrov at G20"
description: "UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband publicly told Sergey Lavrov at a G20 meeting in the US that Russia is losing the war against Ukraine and urged him to tell Putin."
date: 2026-10-31T15:24:08.123Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/miliband-lavrov-g20-russia-not-winning
tags: [uk-foreign-policy, ed-miliband, sergey-lavrov, g20-summit, russia-ukraine-war, dnipro-attacks]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "You are not winning this war": UK Foreign Secretary publicly addresses Lavrov at G20

![Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaking at a podium during an international forum](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/31/miliband-lavrov-g20-russia-not-winning-war/miliband-lavrov-g20-russia-not-winning-war-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Ed Miliband publicly stated at a G20 meeting in the US that Russia is losing the war against Ukraine.
- The British minister reminded Lavrov of the drone attack on the railway in Dnipro, which he said killed 15 people.
- Miliband urged Lavrov to "tell the truth" to Putin that Russia will not win the war.
- The speech came amid the cancellation of the G20 "family photo" due to Lavrov's presence.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, during a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in the United States, publicly addressed his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, stating that Russia is losing the war against Ukraine, but Vladimir Putin's entourage is afraid to tell him the truth. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Independent newspaper.

### "You are not winning this war"

Speaking at the meeting in Atlanta, the British diplomat called Russia an aggressor and recalled the war crimes committed by the Russian military against Ukrainian civilians. Miliband cited the recent drone attack on the railway in Dnipro, stating that 15 people were killed as a result, and pointed to "countless similar examples" of civilian killings throughout the war.

### Direct appeal to Lavrov

The British minister emphasized that Russia has not achieved victory thanks to the resistance of the Ukrainian people and the solidarity of international partners. According to him, Vladimir Putin was counting on an "easy victory," but his expectations were not met. Addressing Lavrov directly, Miliband stated: "If you had the courage to tell the truth and do the right thing, you would tell Putin that you are not winning this war and you will not win it."

### G20 Summit Context

Miliband's speech came against the backdrop of a tense atmosphere surrounding the Russian diplomat's participation in the G20 events. It was previously reported that the traditional G20 "family photo" was canceled due to Sergey Lavrov's presence. This happened after the Russian minister threatened an "escalation" of the war against Ukraine.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- ["Вы не побеждаете": глава МИД Британии публично унизил Лаврова](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vi-peremagaete-glava-mzs-britaniyi-publichno-1793459544.html) - Primary source basis: E. Miliband's public speech at the G20 meeting in the US (Atlanta), appeal to S. Lavrov, mention of the railway attack in Dnipro (15 dead according to the minister), and the cancellation of the summit's "family photo".

## FAQ

### Who made the statement that Russia is losing the war, and where?

The statement was made by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband during a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in the US (Atlanta), while addressing his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

### What example did Miliband cite regarding Russia?

He mentioned a drone attack on the railway in Dnipro, stating that 15 people were killed, and called it part of a series of civilian killings throughout the war.

### What happened to the G20 summit "family photo"?

According to reports, the traditional G20 "family photo" was canceled due to Sergey Lavrov's presence after he threatened an "escalation" of the war against Ukraine.