Russian President Vladimir Putin and his forces in occupied southern Ukraine are determined to retain control of Crimea, as it is key to Russia's regional power projection and allows them to dominate the Black Sea region, project force into the Mediterranean, and supply their units in neighboring oblasts.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of breaking promises on humanitarian support for North Korea and stated that the geopolitical climate has completely changed since the imposition of UN sanctions on the country.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will participate in a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also be present, but the potential results are seen as minimal according to the Russian representative to the UN.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that while Russia is open to negotiations regarding Ukraine, it will not consider any proposals for a cease-fire as it believes it has been deceived before, and suggests that the issue will ultimately be resolved on the battlefield; Lavrov also criticizes the West for allegedly disregarding the seriousness of the conflict and accuses them of failing to fulfill obligations and negotiate in good faith.
Russia's top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, accused Armenian leaders of worsening tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but expressed hope that Armenia would remain aligned with Russia and friendly regional states rather than outside influences.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed Ukrainian proposals for restoring pre-invasion territory as "unrealizable" and indicated readiness for war if Ukraine's allies desire it, aligning with the belief that the conflict will persist for years.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized Ukraine's 10-point peace plan at the UN, stating that the war would have to be resolved "on the battlefield" if more realistic terms were not offered.
Ukrainian President Zelensky warns that Russia is relying on eroding U.S. support to win its war against Ukraine, as funding for Ukraine becomes a contentious issue among House Republicans.
