Russia will not pause its war in Ukraine, Lavrov says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia will not "pause" its "special military operation" in Ukraine, rejecting European calls for a ceasefire that he claims would allow Kyiv to rearm. Speaking on September 23, Lavrov stated Moscow intends to continue its offensive. His remarks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness for a mutual moratorium on energy infrastructure strikes, and Donald Trump predicted a deal would come sooner than expected. The statement coincided with fresh Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian transport infrastructure, killing at least two people. Kyiv and Washington both seek an end to the war "before winter," according to a Ukrainian presidential statement.