The key facts
- Lavrov called the EU's demands for an immediate ceasefire an attempt to 'buy time' for Kyiv
- Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko said the Europeans' role in the talks in Abu Dhabi should not be overestimated
- The Russian Foreign Ministry had earlier named one of the topics of the talks in Abu Dhabi
Statement by the Russian Foreign Minister
Russia will not agree to European countries' demands for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, quoted by Interfax (material by Gazeta.Ru). According to him, 'everything that is now being heard from Brussels and from other capitals of European Union countries amounts to a demand for an immediate ceasefire.' Lavrov characterized this as 'old logic,' under which one needs to 'buy time for their clients, the Kyiv regime,' and use it to restore military losses. Russia will not go along with this, the minister emphasized, adding that this has already been said many times.
Context of the talks in Abu Dhabi
The comment came against the backdrop of trilateral talks between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated: that the presence of European representatives at these talks should not be overestimated; in his words, it is not the first time Europeans have 'sat behind the scenes and pulled the strings,' trying to pressure Washington and Kyiv. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry named one of the topics of the talks in Abu Dhabi; which specific topic was meant is not clarified in the retelling of the publication.
What is known and what remains unclear
Moscow's position is presented in the evaluative wording of the Foreign Ministry itself: the claim that Brussels is indeed seeking to 'buy time' is Lavrov's statement, not a confirmed fact. The publication contains no reaction from the EU or Kyiv to these remarks and does not reveal details of the course of the talks in Abu Dhabi, including the topic of discussion mentioned by the Foreign Ministry.
