MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky has not earned a respite in hostilities, and Russia will not be taken in by his promises, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference following talks with Lebanese Foreign Minister and Minister of Emigrants Youssef Rajji.
"I do not think he has earned a respite. I do not think we will once again buy into assurances and promises. President [of Russia Vladimir Putin] has made this very clear. We continue to achieve the objectives of the special military operation. They are well known to everyone. We have never changed them, unlike Zelensky and his European masters, who keep zigzagging and changing course. Therefore, we have nothing to justify ourselves for to anyone," the foreign minister said.
He was commenting on Zelensky’s "feigned astonishment" at US President Donald Trump’s claims that Russia and Ukraine had allegedly agreed to an energy ceasefire. According to Lavrov, Zelensky’s reaction reflects just one thing: "he is eager to use any words, any initiatives, any ideas that enter the public domain to advance his interest in a respite by any means possible."
"The goal is one and very simple: to bargain for time in order to secure a respite. He said he was even ready to hold presidential elections if he was given two months to regain his strength. During that period, Europe would be able to supply him with new weapons to continue the terrorist war against the Russian people," the minister concluded.
Earlier, the US leader claimed that "there is an energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine. The aforementioned White House official said Trump expects Zelensky "to abide by it." On October 10, the US leader said that his country had repeatedly demanded that Zelensky halt strike on Russian oil refineries but that he would not listen.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump discussed oil product supplies among other things in a phone call on October 9. The Russian head of state said that Moscow had reaffirmed its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to the US and global market. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia will lift its ban on diesel exports ahead of schedule and is ready to supply 300,000 tons of diesel in October, increasing the volume to 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons in December. Monthly supplies could subsequently reach 3 million tons further down the road. The US administration, in turn, issued a general license authorizing Russian diesel supplies to the global market until April 7, 2027.