Camilla Jessen
Moscow says it won’t agree to a ceasefire without addressing the causes of the war.
Russia will not accept an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 21, arguing that core issues behind the war must be dealt with before halting hostilities.
Lavrov’s statement comes just days after a phone call on May 19 between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the two leaders reportedly discussed the possibility of a memorandum that might include a temporary ceasefire.
But Russia now appears to be stepping away from that idea.
“When we’re being told, ‘Let’s have a ceasefire and then we’ll see,’ we respond, ‘No, we’ve been through this before, and we don’t want to repeat it,’” Lavrov told The Moscow Times.
Russia Accuses Western Pressure on Trump
In his statement, Lavrov also accused European leaders of trying to manipulate U.S. policy. He specifically named French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Lavrov claimed the trio is pressuring Trump to impose harsher sanctions on Russia, despite the U.S. president recently signaling openness to limited peace discussions with Moscow.
So far, the White House has not commented on Lavrov’s accusations.
Trump and Putin Discussed “Memorandum,” Not Full Ceasefire
After Trump’s May 19 call with Putin, Kremlin officials mentioned that Russia is open to drafting a memorandum with Ukraine.
This document could outline terms for a limited or temporary ceasefire, but no formal proposal has been made public.
Putin has yet to commit to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and the U.S. as a goodwill gesture to help launch broader negotiations.
On May 20, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the core of the conflict isn’t about technical diplomacy — but about values and sovereignty.
Russia wants what isn’t theirs,” Rubio said. “Ukraine is seeking to recover lost areas through means that may not be achievable militarily — but that doesn’t mean they should be forced to give up.
Rubio stressed that the U.S. would continue to support Ukraine militarily and diplomatically, but stopped short of backing any specific ceasefire agreement.
With no sign of a ceasefire, heavy fighting continues along several fronts.
Russia has increased military activity in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces say they’re holding critical positions in Sumy and Kharkiv regions.