Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, stated during a meeting with members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Moscow that Russia is ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine and has something to say about it. He emphasized that Moscow is seeking "reasonable agreements," while not changing its main security demands.
Emphasis on Continuing Negotiations
Lavrov stated: "We have never shied away from negotiations, and all negotiations that have taken place have not been halted at our initiative. Therefore, if our colleagues are ready, I think they can be reasonably resumed. We have something to say."
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The Russian Foreign Minister also said that the country is ready to seek "reasonable agreements," but not at the expense of its goals regarding national security and preventing NATO's presence at its borders.
Concerns About Navigation Restrictions
Lavrov also expressed his concerns about "the increasing efforts of Western countries to restrict freedom of navigation" and said: "There is a concern that attacks on freedom of navigation are increasingly on the rise. Since the beginning of this year, European countries have detained 12 ships based on invented classifications that are not recognized in international law."
He accused European countries of stopping ships on the suspicion that they lack nationality, without sufficient grounds, claiming that these ships are operating under false flags. Lavrov also reported on Russia's preparations to rebuild logistics and fulfill all its commitments to supply partners.
Lavrov also predicted that conscription in Ukraine may soon extend to women, stating: "I have no doubt that women will soon be in line."
Criticism of the International Criminal Court
Lavrov criticized the International Criminal Court's approach to investigating Ukraine, saying that its prosecutor's office "doesn't even try" to hide that this investigation is exclusively directed at Russia. He also noted that Ukraine, when ratifying the Rome Statute in 2024, raised a condition under which war crimes committed by Ukrainian citizens are excluded from the court's jurisdiction.
He stated that the Ukraine case is considered a "gold mine" for the International Criminal Court and added that countries like Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, and Japan have transferred millions of dollars to the court and have publicly stated that this funding is for investigations against Russia. This is seen as a form of bribery to the court and the designed criminal process.
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