Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that Russia’s goals in the SMO remain unchanged and that Moscow continues to pursue them.

His feigned astonishment at President Trump’s statement reflects only one thing: that he very much wants to use any words, any initiatives, any ideas that enter the public space in order to promote by any means his interest in a respite. I do not think he has earned a respite, I do not think we will once again fall for assurances and promises. The president has spoken about this very clearly. We continue to achieve the goals of the special military operation. They are well known to everyone, we have never changed them, unlike the zigzags and evasions of Zelensky and his European masters.

At the same time, the Kremlin stated that Vladimir Putin would be ready to give an order not to strike Ukraine on election day if they nevertheless decide to hold them in Kyiv. However, as presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted, the 60 days that Zelensky is demanding are needed by him not for holding elections, but in order to “gather his strength, heal his wounds and continue the war.”

@epoddubny