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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine has attacked Russian civilian targets whenever Moscow and Kyiv reached a certain understanding, and concluded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy does not want negotiations.

Speaking in Manama after a Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council meeting, Lavrov also discussed a diesel fuel deal with the United States, energy security cooperation and an upcoming gas exporters summit in Moscow.

Talks and attacks on Russian targets

Lavrov referred to understandings reached several times between Moscow and Kyiv on a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump, including agreements to restart negotiations. In each case, he said, Ukraine carried out attacks on civilian targets in Russia, deliberately selecting civilian facilities and civilians.

"So there is only one conclusion we can draw from this: Zelenskiy does not want negotiations," Lavrov said. He accused Zelenskiy of blocking the implementation of agreements reached in Paris in 2019 and of ending the talks held in Istanbul in the summer of 2025.

According to Lavrov, no progress was made after a trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi apart from steps taken on Russia's own initiative. "Zelenskiy does not even want to move toward an agreement. That is clear," he said, adding that Zelenskiy appears to believe any deal acceptable to Russia and the United States would mean the end of his government and of himself personally.

Diesel fuel deal with Washington

Asked whether the Russia-U.S. diesel fuel agreement had been discussed during the meeting in Bahrain, Lavrov said the deal between Moscow and Washington was a matter for the two capitals. He noted that the agreement is described in the European Union as a betrayal of Ukraine.

Lavrov said Zelenskiy insists that the export of Russian diesel fuel must be settled with him, since only he can authorize it. He dismissed the position, saying the issue had moved away from energy security into self-promotion and what he called a new circus act.

Lavrov said Zelenskiy is trying to keep the international community's attention and recalled the billions of dollars in aid the Ukrainian government has requested from Western countries.

Gas exporters summit in Moscow

Lavrov described energy security as a shared issue that unites countries and said Russia continues cooperation within OPEC+ and the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin will host the forum's summit in Moscow on October 28-29, where he believes decisions will be taken to stabilize global energy markets.

Lavrov accused European countries of damaging energy markets in order to support the Ukrainian government, and said they have also encouraged Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure and oil refineries inside Russia.

Key takeaways

• Lavrov said Ukraine attacked Russian civilian targets after understandings with Moscow, concluding that Zelenskiy does not want negotiations.
• He accused Zelenskiy of blocking the 2019 Paris agreements and ending the Istanbul talks in the summer of 2025.
• Lavrov called the Russia-U.S. diesel fuel deal a matter for Moscow and Washington, rejecting Zelenskiy's demand to authorize exports.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a gas exporters summit in Moscow on October 28-29.