Russia has no “deadline” for ending the conflict in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated Thursday, as Ukrainian and American delegations prepared to meet in Geneva to discuss potential trilateral negotiations.
Lavrov’s remarks, reported by both Le Monde and TF1 Info, came as Ukraine reported overnight attacks involving dozens of Russian missiles and hundreds of drones targeting eight regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes.
According to TASS, the Russian state news agency, Lavrov dismissed any suggestion of a timeframe for resolution. “Have you heard us say anything about deadlines? (…) We have no deadline, we only have tasks (…). We are in the process of fulfilling them,” he said.
The meeting in Geneva will involve emissaries from Ukraine and the United States, with the aim of laying the groundwork for further trilateral discussions involving Russia, TF1 Info reported. Newsweek reported that Lavrov has also indicated that Russia must be involved in any decisions regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, characterizing any attempt to proceed without Russian participation as “a road to nowhere.”
Meanwhile, Moscow claims to have intercepted thirty-five Ukrainian drones in the Bryansk region between noon and 2 PM Moscow time, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, as reported by Le Monde. Alexandre Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region, stated there were no casualties or damage. The Russian Ministry of Defense routinely reports intercepting drones without acknowledging any impact on the ground.
Reuters reported in late December 2025 that Lavrov asserted the West must recognize Russia’s strategic initiative in Ukraine as discussions progress. The French Paralympic Committee confirmed Thursday that France will participate in the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games, despite a boycott by some nations protesting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national flags.
