Lavrov rules out frontline truce and threatens "harsher" actions

Russia will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with the current frontline in Ukraine fixed. This was announced on August 14 by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the Russian state television channel Rossiya 24.

According to Lavrov, Moscow is ready to halt hostilities only within the framework of "a long-term, reliable, and stable settlement," while the Russian side rejects the option of ending the war along the current line of contact.

Justifying this position, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry again used the theme of World War II. He claimed that stopping hostilities at current positions would supposedly "cross out the feat" of Soviet generations who defeated Nazism.

"If we suddenly stopped now at the line of contact, we would essentially be allowing the feat of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, who defeated Nazism, to be crossed out. This cannot be considered", Lavrov said.

At the same time, the minister effectively threatened to further intensify Russian attacks. According to him, Moscow intends to make its approaches "harsher" in order to "destroy everything that fuels Kyiv's military machine from the West."

Lavrov said that Russia is already acting in this direction and rejected calls for an immediate stop. He did not name specific targets against which harsher actions could be directed.

Moscow does not name US assistance as a precondition for negotiations

Meanwhile, Lavrov claimed that Russia does not set the cessation of American military support for Ukraine as a precondition for starting negotiations.

According to him, Moscow has sent questions to the US State Department regarding weapons supplies to Ukraine, the transfer of intelligence information, and Washington's possible participation in Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. The Russian side is awaiting answers.

Thus, Moscow publicly declares its readiness for negotiations, while at the same time rejecting one of the key options for starting a peace process — a ceasefire along the current frontline.

Previously, "Kurs Ukrainy" wrote that Kyiv proposed starting a diplomatic process with a ceasefire along the current front line. Moscow rejected this approach and insisted on continuing hostilities.