EU Accuses Russia of Spreading False Narratives as Lavrov Questions Ukraine’s Commitment to Peace Talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over his remarks about continuing strikes on Russian targets, arguing that such statements could complicate preparations for renewed peace negotiations. However, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Moscow of spreading false narratives and showing no genuine willingness to end the war.

The exchange highlighted continuing divisions over diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine as foreign ministers gathered for a two-day Group of 20 (G20) meeting in Atlanta. The discussions came ahead of expected trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States next month.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, Lavrov said Russia’s position on the conflict remained unchanged and questioned what Kyiv intended to propose during negotiations.

“Our position is known, but what Ukraine intends to bring to the negotiating table, I don’t know,” he said, according to Russian news agencies.

Lavrov argued that Zelensky’s repeated statements about acquiring additional weapons to strike Russian targets were making diplomatic preparations more difficult.

“This kind of attitude doesn’t really help much in preparing for negotiations,” he said.

Kallas Accuses Moscow of Spreading False Narratives

Kallas offered a sharply different assessment, accusing Lavrov of presenting misleading accounts of the war during discussions at the G20 meeting.

“We were talking about the big geopolitical crises, including Ukraine, and we were able to address Sergei Lavrov head-on with this,” she told AFP.

“Of course, he put forward a lot of lies, a lot of false narratives that we were also able to then rebuke,” she added.

The EU’s top diplomat also questioned Russia’s claims that it was prepared to negotiate, arguing that its military actions did not reflect its diplomatic statements.

“Even if they would have said this in words, their deeds tell something else,” Kallas said.

She pointed to July, August and September as the deadliest months for civilians in Ukraine, arguing that Moscow needed to demonstrate its willingness to negotiate through concrete actions.

“They should show with their deeds that they are ready to negotiate, but they are clearly, clearly not,” she said.

Kallas called for sustained international pressure on Russia, particularly to achieve a ceasefire in the Black Sea. She also stressed that European governments remained opposed to normalizing Moscow’s presence at international diplomatic platforms.

Trilateral Talks Expected in Abu Dhabi

The diplomatic disagreement came as Moscow and Kyiv signaled their willingness to resume three-sided negotiations with Washington for the first time since earlier this year.

Zelensky said this week that he hoped a meeting involving negotiators from Russia, Ukraine and the United States would take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and 10.

He also reiterated Ukraine’s position that European representatives should be included in discussions on ending the war.

Lavrov, meanwhile, maintained that Russia’s fundamental demands remained unchanged since the beginning of what Moscow calls its “special military operation.”

He said Russia could not accept Ukraine becoming a military threat to its security interests.

The Russian foreign minister also criticized Washington’s continued military and intelligence support for Kyiv, arguing that major disagreements between Moscow and Washington remained unresolved despite improved diplomatic contacts.

“Fundamental issues are not being resolved. Sanctions remain, all the sanctions from (former President Joe) Biden are echoed by the current administration,” Lavrov said.

He further alleged that US intelligence-sharing cooperation with Ukraine had increased and that weapons deliveries were continuing.

His comments came after the US State Department announced approval of the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine.

G20 Meeting Reflects Diplomatic Divisions

Lavrov’s participation in the G20 gathering had already exposed tensions between Russia and European representatives.

The traditional group photograph of foreign ministers was canceled after some European officials reportedly declined to appear alongside the Russian foreign minister, according to a diplomatic source cited by AFP.

Kallas said European governments had maintained their position against normalizing Russia’s participation in international forums following its invasion of Ukraine.

“We haven’t changed our policies,” she said.

A US official said the photograph was canceled to prevent the ceremonial event from turning into “a diplomatic distraction.”

Kallas also expressed concern that the international community was not sending a sufficiently clear message over the conflict, insisting that pressure should remain focused on Moscow.

“For us, it is very clear that the pressure should be on the aggressor to stop this war,” she said.

The exchanges at the G20 meeting underscored the diplomatic challenges facing efforts to restart negotiations, with Russia maintaining its security demands, Ukraine seeking continued international support and European governments calling for stronger pressure on Moscow.