Russian Foreign Minister: "Some Western Countries First Requested Ceasefire Negotiations with Ukraine"

"West Holds Secret Meeting on Ukraine War"
Possibility of US Strategy Change in Ukraine War Raised

Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, stated that some Western countries are the ones requesting a ceasefire negotiation with Russia regarding Ukraine. His remarks came shortly after reports about a shift in the United States' strategy on the Ukraine war, drawing significant attention from the international community.

[Image source=TASS Yonhap News]

On the 28th (local time), in an interview with the state-run RIA Novosti news agency and Rossiya 24 TV, Minister Lavrov claimed, "Some Western countries are the first to propose peace negotiations," adding, "I receive phone calls in a whispering tone asking if I would meet with European countries that want to exclude Ukraine and talk directly with Russia."

He further asserted, "About 10 days ago, there was a secret meeting among the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) regarding the 'peace formula' proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky." The peace formula proposed by President Zelensky refers to a conditional peace negotiation that requires "the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and the full return of occupied territories." Lavrov avoided providing specific details about this matter.

He emphasized, "The West is changing its tactics. They may be thinking that they need to clarify their overall strategy. If the previous Western strategy was Russia's 'strategic defeat,' this strategy has miserably failed."

Lavrov's remarks followed a report by the U.S. political media outlet Politico, which cited senior U.S. officials saying that "the United States' strategy in the Ukraine war is shifting from Russia's complete defeat to a favorable negotiation direction." This has led to speculation that these statements are not merely diplomatic propaganda, agitation, or provocation by the Russian government.

As the war approaches its third year next year, Western military and financial support has weakened. Additionally, with the outbreak of clashes in October between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, the U.S. has shifted its support priority to Israel. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has also reached a complete stalemate, with no breakthrough in sight.

As the war of attrition continues on both sides, it is expected that a diplomatic framework urging a ceasefire with Russia will be formed around the United States and Western countries starting next year. Russia currently controls the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, holding about 17% of Ukraine's territory prior to the conflict.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.