We Don't Need a Ceasefire Under Such Conditions: Lavrov

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a peace agreement must secure the demilitarization of Ukraine. "A peace agreement must enshrine Ukraine's demilitarization and denazification, the withdrawal of claims against Russia, the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions, and the return of assets blocked in the West," Lavrov stated.

He emphasized the necessity of protecting the rights of Russian-speaking populations. The diplomat pointed out that Moscow has always been open to a political and diplomatic resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, but the focus must be on achieving long-term peace. "We do not need a ceasefire that allows Kyiv and its allies to regroup and strengthen military capacity," Lavrov added.

He also highlighted the need for international recognition of new territorial realities, asserting that Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson must be recognized as part of Russia. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of Ukraine's neutral and non-nuclear status.