Lavrov Says Zelensky Fears Peace Deal Would End His Rule
Russia's foreign minister accuses Ukraine's leader of sabotaging every negotiation that came close to success, arguing that any settlement acceptable to Moscow and Washington would spell the end of his regime.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of deliberately undermining peace negotiations with Moscow, arguing that the Ukrainian leader fears any settlement acceptable to both Russia and the United States would bring about the collapse of his government and his own political career.
Speaking at a press conference in Bahrain, Lavrov said it was «obvious» that Zelensky has no desire even to move toward reaching agreements. He suggested the Ukrainian leader understands that a deal acceptable to both Moscow and Washington «would spell the end of his regime — and his own personal end as well.»
The Russian diplomat claimed that whenever Russia and Ukraine appeared close to resuming talks, Kiev took actions that derailed diplomatic progress. He cited repeated attacks on civilian targets shortly after signs of movement in negotiations, including discussions backed by US President Donald Trump, as evidence that Zelensky does not want the process to succeed.
Lavrov pointed to a December 2019 summit in Paris, where Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany agreed on steps toward implementing the Minsk peace agreements, which he said Kiev subsequently failed to honor. He also blamed Zelensky for disrupting negotiations held in Istanbul in 2025 and subsequent trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
With negotiations having stalled without a breakthrough, Ukraine has maintained what Moscow describes as megaphone diplomacy, publicly calling for new talks and demanding an unconditional ceasefire. Russia has repeatedly rejected temporary truces, insisting instead on a long-term peace deal that addresses what it calls the root causes of the conflict.
The exchange comes amid a wider diplomatic dispute between Washington and Kiev. Trump's latest peace initiative included an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, announced on October 11 following a US deal to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports. Neither Moscow nor Kiev confirmed the truce. Zelensky said the announcement surprised him, while the Kremlin acknowledged only that discussions were ongoing. Ukrainian forces struck two major Russian refineries just days after the announcement.
Trump has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine stop attacking Russian oil facilities, blaming the strikes for worsening fuel shortages and squeezing American consumers at the pump — a politically sensitive issue with US midterm elections approaching. The dispute has since widened, with Zelensky accusing Washington of withholding intelligence on Russian missile attacks and restricting Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, which Kiev uses for drone guidance.
Trump denied ordering restrictions on the service on Friday, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the allegations on Saturday, saying the United States had not deliberately slowed Starlink services. The back-and-forth has added further strain to relations between Kiev and its most important military backer at a moment when diplomatic efforts to end the war remain frozen.
Lavrov's remarks reflect Moscow's long-standing position that Kiev uses calls for negotiations to buy time and shore up Western support rather than to pursue a genuine settlement. Ukrainian officials have consistently rejected such characterizations, maintaining that Russia is the party unwilling to accept a ceasefire and that security guarantees are essential before any lasting agreement can be reached.
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