Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the West must understand that the Russian armed forces retain the “strategic initiative” on the Ukraine front, reiterating that the Kremlin’s position on the war remains unchanged.

In an interview with Russia’s state news agency RIA, Sergei Lavrov stressed that “our fundamental principle has not changed” and added that “the strategic initiative belongs entirely to the Russian military and the West understands this.”

The head of Russian diplomacy also referred to the United States, claiming that Washington supports the proposal to hold new elections in Ukraine. He said, “the US administration is leading active and targeted mediation efforts,” referring to telephone communications between Washington and Moscow.

US-Russia talks beyond Ukraine

In the same context, Lavrov stressed that the world’s two largest nuclear powers share responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, suggesting that bilateral contacts are not limited solely to the Ukrainian issue.

At the same time, he noted that Moscow is still waiting for an official response from the US to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to “freeze” the limits of the New START nuclear arms control treaty.

However, the Russian foreign minister kept a low profile, noting that “we should not be in a hurry.”