In brief
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at the G20 meeting in Atlanta on October 30, dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s comments about continuing strikes against Russian targets as unhelpful and reiterated that Moscow’s position on the war has not changed. He stressed that unresolved U.S.–Russia issues – such as sanctions and continued arms supplies to Kyiv – persist. Lavrov also noted that both sides remain willing to hold further trilateral talks with the U.S. amid ongoing diplomatic efforts.
At the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta on October 30, Russia’s Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine’s comments about continuing strikes against Russian targets were unhelpful for upcoming talks and that Moscow’s position on the war had not changed.
Lavrov told reporters that Russia’s stance was “known,” but he did not know what Ukraine would bring to the negotiating table. He said Zelenskiy’s frequent remarks about Ukraine buying more weapons to strike Russia made preparation for a new round of talks difficult, adding:
“This kind of attitude doesn’t really help much in preparing for negotiations.”
He also highlighted that key issues between the United States and Russia are still unresolved: sanctions on Moscow remain in force and the U.S. continues to provide arms to Kyiv, including the sale of 500 Patriot PAC‑3 missiles that was approved on the same day.
Both Russia and Ukraine have expressed willingness to hold further three‑sided talks with the U.S., a process that began early in the year. Zelenskiy said he hopes a trilateral meeting with peace negotiators would take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and 10 and that Europe should also be involved in ending the war.
Lavrov reiterated that Russia’s position on the Ukraine conflict is “unchanged from the very start of the special military operation,” and that Moscow cannot accept Ukraine as a “military threat to the lawful security interests of the Russian Federation.”
He underscored that fundamental issues with Washington are not being resolved, noting that sanctions remain and all are echoing the policy from President Joe Biden’s administration.
