Russia expresses willingness to resume talks with Ukraine without a ceasefire

During the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow is open to resuming negotiations with Kyiv. However, he emphasized that Russia will not agree to a ceasefire during these talks, stating that the military operation will continue regardless of any diplomatic process. Lavrov reiterated Moscow's offer for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to travel to Russia for direct discussions, an invitation that has been repeatedly rejected by the Ukrainian side in favor of meetings on neutral territory.

Simultaneously, the Kremlin has indicated interest in a U.S.-backed proposal for a moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure. To facilitate this, Moscow demands the lifting of sanctions on Russian energy supplies. Meanwhile, reports suggest that a meeting is being planned between Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. While the U.S. is pushing for renewed diplomatic efforts, potentially involving a tripartite summit with President Donald Trump, Kyiv maintains that any path to negotiation must start with a complete ceasefire.