EU accuses Russia of false narratives as Lavrov questions Ukraine’s commitment to talks

ATLANTA: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks about continuing strikes on Russian targets, saying they undermined preparations for fresh peace talks, while the European Union’s top diplomat accused Moscow of spreading “lies” and showing no genuine readiness to negotiate.

The contrasting positions underscored persistent divisions over efforts to end the war in Ukraine, as foreign ministers gathered for a Group of 20 meeting in Atlanta ahead of expected trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States next month.

Lavrov, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the two-day gathering, said Moscow’s position on the conflict remained unchanged and questioned what Kyiv intended to bring to the negotiating table.

“Our position is known, but what Ukraine intends to bring to the negotiating table, I don’t know,” he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

He said Zelensky’s repeated statements about Ukraine acquiring additional weapons to strike Russian targets made preparations for negotiations more difficult.

“This kind of attitude doesn’t really help much in preparing for negotiations,” Lavrov said.