“Polite silence” and hard red lines: Lavrov on Russia’s position after UAE talks

The second round of talks in Abu Dhabi, held on February 4–5, concluded in much the same way as the first round in January, with Moscow maintaining what it describes as a stance of “polite silence.”

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel, this position was outlined by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the online project Empatiya Manuchi. Lavrov said Russia was deliberately refraining from public commentary, stressing that discretion is essential when negotiations are aimed at achieving concrete results.

“We are keeping a polite silence, like decent people who understand that negotiations, if you are focused on an outcome, prefer quiet,” Lavrov said.

He added that those who continue to speak loudly about the contacts taking place in the United Arab Emirates are either seeking to derail the process or attempting to deflect responsibility from themselves.

Lavrov emphasised that Moscow will continue to adhere to the position it brought to the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, he noted that Russia has been pressed to “demonstrate readiness for compromises,” a demand he rejected when it comes to fundamental issues.

“Compromises cannot concern key, basic principles on which the life of a state depends, and most importantly, the lives of millions of people,” the foreign minister said.

The second round of trilateral negotiations between Russia, the United States and Ukraine took place in Abu Dhabi on February 4–5. Following the talks, US special envoy Steven Witkoff announced that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to exchange 314 prisoners of war and said consultations on resolving the conflict would continue in the coming days.

Lavrov also stated that Russia’s position is not subject to situational shifts or political expediency. He said compromises are always possible if states — even just two — are able to reach an agreement. Moscow, he added, is prepared to seek a balance of interests, provided that the legitimate interests of all parties are respected.

“Our legitimate interest is to ensure our own security,” Lavrov said. “Like any normal country, we want our history to continue, our people to develop under the most favourable external conditions, and to secure economic growth, solve social problems, and improve the well-being of the population.”

During the interview, the foreign minister also addressed the status of the Russian language in Ukraine. He said that despite guarantees enshrined in Ukraine’s Constitution, roughly a dozen laws adopted over the past decade have effectively pushed the Russian language out of all areas of public life. According to Lavrov, “Ukraine is the only country where an entire language is banned.”

He further argued that when Western countries speak about security guarantees, they are referring not to cooperation with Russia but to measures directed against it.

Lavrov also commented on Kyiv’s stated position regarding a settlement. He said that while the Ukrainian leadership claims it will not recognise any outcomes de jure, it is de facto prepared to halt hostilities on the condition that European countries provide ironclad security guarantees, ratified by their parliaments, and deploy troops.

By Tamilla Hasanova