Lavrov Says Ukraine Settlement Requires Meeting Original Military Operation Goals

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine must fulfill the original goals of what Russia terms its "special military operation," the state news agency TASS reported.

According to TASS, Lavrov stated that these goals are aimed at "eliminating the root causes of the crisis." The report did not elaborate on further details of his remarks in the excerpt provided.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it domestically as a "special military operation." Moscow has repeatedly said the war stems from what it characterizes as security threats posed by Ukraine's alignment with the West and NATO's eastward expansion, framing these as the "root causes" that any peace settlement must address.

Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected this framing, characterizing the invasion as an unprovoked act of aggression against a sovereign state. Kyiv has consistently called for the restoration of its territorial integrity, including the return of Crimea and other occupied regions, as a precondition for any settlement.

Lavrov's comments, as reported by TASS, come amid ongoing international discussions over potential paths to end the conflict, which has continued for more than three years since Russia's invasion began.

TASS is a Russian state-owned news agency. This report is based solely on TASS's account of Lavrov's remarks; independent verification of the full context of his statement was not immediately available.