Minsk: diplomacy or sabotage? Merkel versus Lavrov

Two retrospective accounts of Minsk, recorded four years apart. Angela Merkel, speaking to Alexander Osang on June 7, 2022, says the agreement brought limited calm, received EU and UN backing, and gave Ukraine seven years to develop. Sergey Lavrov, speaking at his UN press conference on September 26, 2026, stresses Security Council endorsement and accuses Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelenskyy of sabotaging the agreements. These are the speakers' assessments and accusations. Merkel's excerpt does not state that she deliberately deceived Russia. The clips are a comparison of their positions, not a direct exchange.

Sep 26

At his September 26 UN press conference, Lavrov argues that confidence in Ukraine negotiations depends on implementing agreements. He recounts the 2014 settlement, Minsk, the 2019 Normandy summit and the 2022 Istanbul principles, accusing Ukraine and European governments of obstructing them. He says Russia accepted the U.S.-proposed Anchorage principles and remains prepared to return to those understandings, while criticizing Europe's negotiating role. His allegations about sabotage, motives and agreed terms remain attributed. Vremya's September 26 account relays the readiness statement and changing U.S. mediation language. No new accepted settlement or negotiating schedule is disclosed.