Lavrov says outcome of conflict in Ukraine to shape Moscow's future role

Speaking in an interview with the Russian VGTRK broadcast company, Lavrov said the world is watching closely to see how this war ends.

"To offer the world something, we must first win. The world is watching very closely to see how this war ends," he said.

Lavrov repeated Moscow's position that the conflict had been provoked by the West and that Western countries shifted their rhetoric from seeking Russia's "strategic defeat" to backing Ukraine's long-range attacks on Russian territory.

He accused the West of seeking to weaken and divide Russia, saying it had revived calls for the country's "strategic defeat," which he said amounted to advocating Russia's disintegration.

The minister said Russia was making steady gains on the battlefield while trying to minimize casualties and accused Ukraine of responding with "terrorist acts," targeting civilians through drone attacks on Russian cities.

Lavrov also rejected proposals for a ceasefire before broader peace negotiations, saying Moscow viewed such ideas as an ultimatum that would allow Ukraine to regroup militarily while leaving unresolved the root causes of the conflict.

He said Russia sought to remain "an independent power" and would continue building relations with emerging centres of influence, including China and India.

Lavrov highlighted groups such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Collective Security Treaty Organization as examples of cooperation based on equality rather than domination by a single power.

He said Russia should pursue technological self-sufficiency and urged caution in dealings with Western countries. "'Trust' can come later. First, verify," he recommended.